TheXnitiah 


THE   INITIALS 


A  Story  of  Modern  Life 


By 

THE  BARONESS  TAUTPHCEUS 

AUTHOR   OF  "QUITS,"   "  AT  ODDS,"   BTC. 


PHILADELPHIA 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY 


Electa™  and  Panted  by  J.  B.  L,pp(NCott  Company,  Ph.ladelphu,  U.S.A. 


PREFACE. 


7 


Initial,  adj.  [Initial,  Fr. ;  initialis,  from  initium,  Lat.] 

1.  Placed  at  the  beginning. 

2.  Incipient;  not  complete. — Johnson's  Dictionary. 

Initial,  ale.  adj.  II  se  dit  des  lettres,  des  syllables  qui  commencent  an 
mot.  En  termes  de  calligraphic  et  d'imprimerie,  on  appelle  plus  particu- 
lierement  lettre  initiate,  la  lettre  qui  commence  un  livre,  un  chapitre,  etc. 

II  s'emploie  aussi  substantivement,  au  feminin,  pour  lettre  initiale.  H 
n'a  signi  ce  billet  que  de  I'initiale  de  son  nom,  que  de  ton  initiale.  Dana 
ce  manuscrit,  lea  initialea  aont  en  rouge. — Dictionnaire  de  I'Academie 
Francaise. 

I  think  these  quotations  authorise  me  to  call  the  following 
pages  "The  Initials."  According  to  Dr.  Johnson,  they 
would  be  intended  to  be  "  placed  at  the  beginning ;"  would 
.be  "incipient;  not  complete."  It  is  the  public  who  have 
now  to  decide  whether  what  has  been  placed  at  the  beginning 
is  to  have  a  continuation,  whether  what  is  incipient,  and  not 
complete,  is  to  be  formed  and  completed. 

Un  billet  signi  (Time  initiale  gave  rise  to  all  the  events  here 
related ;  proving  the  truth  of  the  words  of  Bayley,  in  his 
Essays  on  the  Formation  and  Publication  of  Opinions,  that, 
"  In  everything  we  do  we  may  be  possibly  laying  a  train  of 
consequences,  the  operation  of  which  may  terminate  only 
with  our  existence."  Had  those  initials  not  excited  curiosity 
or  interest,  the  so-signed  billet  would  have  been  thrown  aside 
and  forgotten,  or  directed  to  the  post-town  from  whence  it 
came,  there  to  seek  the  writer,  or  to  be  consigned  to  the 
dead-letter  office.  And  so  it  will  be  with  these  "  Initials," 
should  they  awake  no  interest,  nor  excite  a  wish  to  know 

333919 


2  PREFACE. 

more ;  they  too  will  be  thrown  aside  and  forgotten,  or  it  may 
be  that  the  manuscript  will  be  redirected  to  the  place  from 
whence  it  came,  thence  to  be  consigned  to  merited  oblivion 
in  the  dead-letter  drawer  of  an  old  writing-table,  among  a 
number  of  truths  dressed  in  fiction,  which  had  been  intended 
for  publication  under  the  names  of  Journals,  Reminiscences) 
Tales,  Novels,  or  whatever  else  they  may  have  been  entitled. 

My  greatest  consolation,  in  case  of  failure,  will  be  that  I 
have  neglected  no  business  or  duty  for  the  purpose  of  scrib- 
bling ;  it  has  only  been  with  me  the  means  of  beguiling  some 
idle  hours,  with  no  pretension  to  any  other  object;  the  wish 
to  give  a  slight  sketch  of  German  characters  and  life,  such 
as  I  have  myself,  in  the  course  of  many  years,  been  familiar 
with,  or  have  heard  them  described  by  others,  can  scarcely 
be  considered  a  more  serious  occupation. 

I  have,  perhaps,  seen  and  heard  enough  to  furnish  me  with 
ample  materials  for  something  better.  That  I  cannot  use 
them  for  the  benefit  of  either  myself  or  others,  is  my  mis- 
fortune, not  my  fault.  With  this  excuse,  (if  it  be  one,)  I 
commend  myself  to  my  publisher;  and,  supposing  so  ad- 
venturous a  person  to  be  found,  through  him  to  the  public. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I.  PAGE 

The  Letter 7 

CHAPTER    II. 
The  Initials 29 

CHAPTER    III. 
A.  Z 36 

CHAPTER    IV. 
A  Walk  of  no  Common  Description 45 

CHAPTER    V. 
An  Alp 61 

CHAPTER    VI. 

Secularised  Cloisters 71 

CHAPTER    VII. 

An  Excursion  and  .Return  to  the  Secularised  Cloisters  ...      89 

CHAPTER    VIII. 
An  Alt-ine  Party 103 

CHAPTER    IX. 
Salzburg .    129 

CHAPTER    X. 
The  Return  to  Munich 139 

CHAPTER    XL 

The  Betrothal 143 

3 


4  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XII.  PAGI! 

Domestic  Details 160 

CHAPTER    XIII. 
A  Truce 176 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
A  New  Way  to  Learn  German 187 

CHAPTER    XV. 

The  October  Fete,  and  a  Lesson  on  Propriety  op  Conduct  .   .    195 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

The  Au  Fair,  and  the  Supper  at  the  Brewery 220 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
Lovers'  Quarrels 235 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 
The  Churchyard 247 

CHAPTER    XIX. 
German  Soup 251 

CHAPTER    XX. 
The  Warning 263 

CHAPTER    XXL 
The  Struggle 268 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

The  Departure 281 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 
The  Long  Day 286 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 
The  Christmas-Tree,  and  Midnight  Mass 292 

CHAPTER    XXV. 
The  Garret 310 


CONTENTS.  5 

CHAPTER    XXVI.  page 

The  Discussion 318 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 
The  Sledge 323 

CHAPTER    XXVIII. 
A  Ball  at  the  Museum  Club 339 

CHAPTER    XXIX. 
A  Day  op  Freedom 353 

CHAPTER    XXX. 
The  Masquerade 362 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 

Where  is  the  Bridegroom  ? 374 

CHAPTER    XXXII. 

The  Wedding  au  Troisieme 381 

CHAPTER    XXXIII. 
A  Change 388 

CHAPTER    XXXIV. 
The  Arrangement 395 

CHAPTER    XXXV. 
The  Difficulty  Removed 403 

CHAPTER    XXXVI. 
The  Iron  Works 407 

CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

An  Unexpected  Meeting  and  its  Consequences 414 

CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 
The  Experiment 423 

CHAPTER    XXXIX. 
The  Recall 438 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XL.  PA0B 

HoHENFELS 442 

CHAPTER    XL  I. 
The  Scheiben-Schiessen  (Target  Shooting  Match) 450 

CHAPTER    XLII. 
A  Discourse 459 

CHAPTER    XLIII. 
Another  Kind  of  Discourse 464 

CHAPTER    XLIV. 

The  Journey  Home  Commences      468 

CHAPTER    XLV. 
What  Occurred  at  the  Hotel  d'Angleterre  in  Frankfort  .    .    474 

CHAPTER    XLVI. 
Halt! 481 

CHAPTER    XLVII. 
Conclusion 495 


THE  INITIALS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   LETTER. 


About  twelve  years  ago  (before  the  building  of  the  Bay- 
rischen  Hof),  the  Golden  Stag,  kept  by  an  old  and  very  cor- 
pulent Frenchman,  of  the  name  of  Havard,  was  considered 
the  very  best  hotel  in  Munich.  It  was  there  that  all  crowned 
heads  and  royal  personages  took  up  their  abode  ;  and  many 
and  bitter  were  the  complaints  of  English  families  obliged 
to  turn  out  of  their  apartments  to  admit  of  the  turning  in 
of  an  emperor,  king,  or  archduke  !  In  the  month  of  August, 
however,  such  guests  were  unusual ;  and,  accordingly,  a 
young  English  traveller  had  remained  for  a  week  in  undis- 
turbed possession  of  one  of  the  most  comfortable  rooms  in 
the  house.  He  seemed,  however,  thoroughly  dissatisfied 
with  it  or  with  himself,  walked  impatiently  up  and  down, 
looked  long  and  listlessly  out  of  the  window,  and  then,  with 
evident  effort  and  stifled  yawn,  concluded  a  letter  which  he 
had  previously  been  writing.  A  few  lines  of  this  letter  I 
shall  transcribe. 

"  I  have  continued  to  take  notes  most  carefully  of  every- 
thing I  have  seen  or  heard  since  I  left  you ;  but  I  fear,  my 
dear  sister,  the  travels  or  wanderings,  or  sketches  with  which 
I  intended  to  astonish  the  world  on  my  return  home,  must 
be  given  up ;  for  in  the  present  day  one  can  travel  from 
London  to  Jericho  without  a  chance  of  seeing  anything  not 
already  succinctly  described  in  the  guide-books !  I  thought 
I  had  discovered  why  my  brother  John  never  met  with  any 
amusing  adventures  when  my  father  sent  him  abroad.  He 
spoke  wretched   French,  and  no  German.     Poor  fellow;  I 

7 


8  THE  INITIALS. 

did  him  great  injustice.  For  even  I,  who,  from  not  being 
the  first-born,  have  a  sort  of  natural  claim  to  intellect — even 
I,  who  have  studied  German  for  six  years,  and  can  speak 
French  fluently — even  I  must  write  stupid,  commonplace 
letters,  and  acknowledge  that  composing  a  book  is  not  so 
easy  as  I  thought.  I  left  home  three  weeks  ago,  and,  ex- 
cepting that  lucky  explosion  of  the  steam-engine  after  we 
left  Cologne,  nothing  has  occurred  worthy  of  notice.  I  must 
endeavour  to  get  among  these  Germans ;  for  travelling 
through  a  country  without  becoming  intimate  with  some  of 
the  inhabitants,  though  it  may  enable  me  to  judge  of  the 
beauty  of  the  scenery,  will  leave  me  perfectly  unacquainted 
with  the  manners  and  habits  of  the  people.  The  Erskines 
are  not  here  at  present,  so  all  hopes  from  that  quarter  are  at 
an  end.  I  am  told  that  the  Munich  world  is  in  the  country, 
and  I  believe  it ;  for  nothing  can  be  more  deserted-looking 
than  the  streets  which  represent  the  west  end.  After  all,  one 
cannot  go  on  forever  looking  at  pictures  and  statues,  etc." 

The  young  man  folded  up  and  sealed  his  letter,  with  a 
look  of  infinite  vexation,  and  putting  it  in  his  pocket  while 
he  murmured  something  about  "  taking  it  himself  to  the 
post-office,  for  want  of  other  occupation,"  he  slowly  left  the 
room  and  sauntered  down  the  staircase,  drawing  his  cane 
along  the  iron  stair-railing  as  he  went. 

Hamilton,  on  his  return,  sprang  lightly  up  the  stairs,  fol- 
lowed by  a  waiter,  who  lit  the  candles  and  prepared  to  assist 
him  in  taking  off  his  rather  tightly-fitting  coat.  The  opera- 
tion had  proceeded  about  half-way,  when  his  eyes  fell  on  a 
letter  which  was  placed  conspicuously  on  the  table.  In  a 
moment  the  coat  was  again  on  his  shoulders  and  the  letter 
in  his  hand. 

"  When  did  this  come  ?" 

"  To-day,  sir.  Mr.  Havard  desired  me  to  say  it  was  car- 
ried by  mistake  to  a  gentleman's  room  who  left  this  morn- 
ing early." 

Hamilton  hastily  opened  the  letter  and  read  as  follows : 

"Dear  Mr.  Hamilton, — I  have  this  moment  read  your  name 
among  the  arrivals  in  Munich,  and  write  to  tell  you  that  we  are  for 
the  present  at  Seon,  a  short  journey  distant  from  you.  Our  house 
is  not  at  present  habitable,  and  we  have  made  this  old  monastery 
our  headquarters.  It  was  some  years  ago  a  tolerably  frequented 
bath,  but  being  no  longer  so,  I  shall  have  no  difficulty  whatever  in 


THE  LETTER.  9 

procuring  an  apartment  for  you.  We  shall  be  delighted  to  see  you, 
and  show  you  the  beauties  of  our  neighbourhood.  Perhaps,  too,  we 
can  arrange  a  tour  in  the  Tyrol  together.  John,  I  know,  has 
joined  his  regiment;  therefore  I  do  not  expect  to  see  him.  But 
probably  Mrs.  Hamilton  is  with  you ;  in  which  case  I  am  quite 
sure  you  will  not  leave  Germany  without  having  visited  your  sin- 
cere friend,  A.  Z." 

"  How  far  is  Seon  from  Munich  ?  What  sort  of  a  place 
is  it?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  I  am  sorry  I  cannot  give  you  any  information,  sir.  Since 
I  have  been  here  no  traveller  has  left  for  Seon." 

"Is  there  no  mail  or  stage-coach  to  any  place  near  it? 
There  must  be  a  post-town,  or  something  of  that  sort." 

"  I  really  do  not  know,  sir." 

"  Try  and  decipher  the  post-mark,"  said  Hamilton,  im- 
patiently handing  him  the  envelope. 

"  I  think  it  is  Altenmarkt,  but  I  am  not  quite  sure." 

"  Give  me  my  maps,  if  you  please,  and  tell  Mr.  Havard  I 
wish  to  speak  to  him  for  a  few  minutes." 

When  he  had  left  the  room,  Hamilton  turned  the  letter  in 
every  possible  direction,  examined  the  seal,  which  was  a 
small  coronet  with  the  initials  "  A.  Z.,"  read  it  five  or  six 
times  over,  and  in  thought  mustered  his  tolerably  numerous 
acquaintance.  Not  an  "  A.  Z."  among  them  all !  How  very 
provoking  !  "  And  yet  the  letter  may  be  intended  for  me," 
he  murmured,  twisting  it  around  his  fingers  :  "  It  is  not  im- 
possible that  the  writer  may  have  thought  that  I  was  travel- 
ling with  my  aunt — why  not?  And  John  has  actually 
joined  his  regiment  very  lately  ! — or — or — it  may  be  some 
friend  of  my  father's ;  in  which  case,  as  I  do  not  know  the 
name,  and  cannot  explain  by  letter,  I  consider  it  a  sort  of 
duty  to  go  to  Seon,  and  in  his  name  thank  the  good-natured 
person  for  the  invitation.  But  what  if  it  were  not  intended 
either  for  me  or  for  my  father  ?  No  matter.  The  letter  is 
addressed  to  A.  Hamilton,  Esq. ;  if  the  writer  intended  it 
for  an  Abraham,  an  Achilles,  or  an  Anthony,  the  fault  is 
not  mine.  Alfred  also  begins  with  A. ;  the  address  is  to  the 
Golden  Stag ;  my  correspondent  has  seen  my  name  or  my 
father's  in  the  newspapers ; — mentions  my  mother  and  my 
brother.     What  more  can  I  require  ?" 

And  Hamilton  required  nothing  more,  for  on  this  occa- 
sion he  was  disposed  to  be  easily  satisfied.     Besides,  he  was 


10  THE  INITIALS. 

not  going  to  force  himself  upon  any  person  or  persons  un- 
known ;  he  was  merely  going  to  Seon  instead  of  Kissingen. 
Seon  was  also  a  place  of  public  resort,  quite  as  desirable  for 
him  as  any  other ;  nor  could  he  see  anything  wrong  in  mak- 
ing some  inquiries  about  this  A.  Z.  when  he  arrived  there. 

Mr.  Havard  entered  his  room  just  as  he  was  resolved  what 
course  he  should  pursue.  "  Pray,  Mr.  Havard,  can  you  tell 
me  how  far  Seon  is  from  here  ?" 

"A  day's  journey,  if  you  travel  with  a  voiturier ;  half  a 
day  with  post-horses." 

"  If  I  engage  a  voiturier — are  the  carriages  good?" 

"  Generally,  especially  if  you  don't  require  much  place  for 
luggage.  I  think  I  can  procure  a  light  carriage  and  tolera- 
ble horses  for  you." 

"  Thank  you.  To-morrow  morning,  at  six  o'clock,  I  should 
like  to  be  off,  if  possible." 

An  unpleasant  idea  just  then  occurred  to  him,  and  it  re- 
quired an  effort  on  his  part  to  add,  with  affected  indiffer- 
ence : 

"  By-the-by,  Mr.  Havard,  perhaps  you  can  tell  me  if  there 
have  been  any  persons  here  lately  whose  names  were  the 
same  as  mine?" 

Mr.  Havard  looked  puzzled. 

"  My  name  is  Hamilton." 

"  Hameeltone — Hameeltone  !"  he  repeated,  thoughtfully. 
"  We  have  a  great  many  Hameeltone  in  our  book.  You 
shall  see  directly.     I  will  send  it  to  you." 

"  So,"  muttered  Hamilton,  as  he  walked  up  and  down  the 
room,  "  so,  after  all,  the  letter  was  not  intended  for  me  or 
my  father !  This  is  in  consequence  of  having  such  a  com- 
mon name !  And  yet  the  name  in  itself  is  good,  but  the 
Hamiltons  have  multiplied  so  unconscionably  of  late,  that  I 
have  no  doubt  we  shall  in  time  be  quite  as  numerous  as  the 
Smiths !  Should,  however,  no  Hamilton  have  been  here  for 
the  last  week  or  ten  days,  I  conceive  that  I  have  a  right  to 
appropriate  this  letter ;  for  A.  Z.  says  distinctly  that  he  or 
she  had  that  moment  seen  my  name  among  the  arrivals  in 
Munich,  and  with  every  allowance  for  irregularity  of  post  in 
an  out-of-the-way  place,  chance,  or  unexpected  delays,  refer- 
ence at  least  is  made  to  some  paper  of  a  tolerably  recent 
date.  Oh!  thank  you,"  he  exclaimed,  hurrying  towards 
the  waiter,  who  at  that  moment  entered  the  room  with  the 


THE  LETTER.  \\ 

strangers'  book.  "  Before  you  go,  show  me  the  name  of  the 
gentleman  into  whose  room  my  letter  was  taken  by  mistake." 

He  pointed  to  the  name  of  "  Alexander  Hambledon,  from 
London." 

Hamilton  turned  back  the  leaves,  six,  eight,  ten  days,  and 
no  Hamilton ;  before  that  time,  as  Mr.  Havard  had  said, 
"  A  great  many  Hamiltons."  He  wished  them,  their  fami- 
lies, and  suites  very  agreeable  journeys,  closed  the  book,  put 
A.  Z.'s  letter  carefully  into  his  writing-case,  and,  after  having 
desired  the  waiter  to  call  him  very  early  the  next  day,  hur- 
ried to  bed. 

The  next  morning  proved  fine,  and  Hamilton  felt  in  better 
spirits  than  he  had  done  since  he  had  left  home,  for  he  flat- 
tered himself  he  was  now  about  to  diverge  from  the  travel- 
ler's beaten  path,  and  had  a  chance  of  seeing  something  new. 
The  rather  shabby  carriage  and  sleepy-looking  horses  had 
not  power  to  discompose  him,  and  the  voiturier,  with  his 
dark-blue  linen  blouse  and  short  pipe,  overshadowed  by  a 
bush  of  mustache,  he  thought  absolutely  picturesque.  Most 
careful  he  seemed,  too,  of  his  horses,  for  they  had  scarcely 
left  the  suburbs  of  Munich  when  he  descended  from  his  box 
to  walk  up  a  small  acclivity,  and  Hamilton  then  began  to  pro- 
test vehemently,  but  in  vain,  against  the  carriage  being 
closed.  The  coachman  continued  to  walk  leisurely  on,  while 
he  assured  his  impatient  employer  that  he  had  purposely  so 
arranged  it  to  prevent  his  being  annoyed  by  the  dust  or  sun, 
and  that  from  the  open  side  he  could  see  quite  as  much  as 
would  be  agreeable  of  the  flat  country  through  which  they 
were  to  travel. 

"  Is,  then,  the  country  so  very  ugly  ?"  asked  Hamilton, 
anticipating  nothing  less  than  an  American  prairie. 

"  Flat — very  flat ;  but  in  the  evening  we  shall  have  the 
mountains  nearer." 

"  You  seem  fond  of  the  mountains  !" 

"  I  am  a  Tyrolean,  and  used  to  them.  Life  is  not  the  same 
thing  in  these  plains,"  he  answered,  cracking  his  whip,  but 
not  touching  his  horses. 

"  A  Tyrolean  !"  exclaimed  Hamilton ;  "  oh,  then  you  can 
sing  your  national  songs,  of  course.  Do,  pray,  let  me  hear 
one  of  them." 

"What's  the  use?"  he  said,  shrugging  hia  shoulders; 
"  there's  no  echo  for  the  jodel" 


12  THE  INITIALS. 

"  No  matter ;  try  it  at  all  events,  and  you  shall  have  an 
additional  glass  of  beer  at  dinner-time." 

On  the  strength  of  this  promise  >.e  "  lifted  up  his  voice  in 
song,"  and  shouted  out  a  melody  which  there  was  no  man- 
ner of  doubt  would  have  been  "  by  distance  made  more 
sweet ;"  but  which,  as  he  leaned  on  the  door  of  the  carriage, 
and  poured  the  whole  force  of  his  stentorian  lungs  into 
Hamilton's  face,  almost  made  him  vibrate  on  his  seat. 

"  Thank  you,"  cried  Hamilton,  hastily,  "  thank  you — that 
will  do.  I  have  long  wished  to  hear  a  Tyrolean  jodel,  and 
am  sure  it  must  sound  very  well  in  the  mountains !" 

"  There's  no  music  like  it  in  the  world,"  said  the  man,  as 
he  seated  himself  again  on  the  box ;  and  laying  aside  his 
pipe,  he  continued  singing  for  more  than  an  hour,  interrupted 
only  by  an  occasional  "  Ho — he — hot !"  addressed  to  his 
horses. 

The  country  was  indeed  flat,  but  highly  cultivated,  and 
thickly  wooded  alternately — the  absence  of  all  walls  or 
fences  giving  to  German  scenery  in  general  the  appearance 
of  a  domain ;  they  passed  through,  and  saw  in  the  distance, 
many  pretty  villages,  while  the  mountains  were  becoming 
more  distinct  and  the  scenery  more  interesting  every  hour. 
Had  not  the  day  been  intensely  sultry,  Hamilton  would  have 
insisted  on  the  head  of  the  carriage  being  thrown  back,  and 
the  odious  rattling  windows  opposite  to  him  being  removed ; 
as  it  was,  however,  the  shade  was  agreeable,  and  the  almost 
imperceptible  current  of  air,  produced  by  the  motion  of  the 
carriage,  as  it  blew  on  his  face,  had  the  somniferous  effect 
attributed  to  the  vampire's  wing — he  slept,  and  so  soundly 
that  until  the  carriage  stopped  suddenly  before  a  house  on 
the  roadside,  not  all  the  jolting  and  consequent  thumping  of 
his  head  against  the  hard  side  of  the  carriage  could  waken 
him ;  he  then  rubbed  his  eyes,  stretched  out  his  legs,  and 
was  endeavouring  once  more  to  compose  himself  to  sleep,  when 
the  coachman  informed  him  that  they  were  to  remain  there 
two  hours  to  rest  and  dine.  He  looked  at  his  watch — it  was 
twelve  o'clock ;  then  at  the  inn  ;  it  did  not  promise  much  ; 
but  near  the  door  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  carriage  in  form 
and  colour  exactly  resembling  his  own,  containing,  however, 
a  number  of  packages  which  denoted  female  travellers.  The 
blue  bandboxes  and  embroidered  bags  decided  his  move- 
ments.    He  sprang  from  the  carriage,  and  almost   uncon- 


TEE  LETTER.  13 

sciously  ran  his  fingers  through  his  hair  as  he  entered  the 
house.  Passing  through  a  large  room  filled  with  peasants, 
he  reached  a  smaller  apartment  containing  some  narrow 
tables  furnished  at  each  side  with  benches  covered  with  black 
leather  cushions.  At  one  of  these  tables  sat  three  ladies, 
and  an  equal  number  of  little  boys.  Hamilton  had  learned 
to  bow  civilly  on  entering  a  room  to  any  persons  who 
might  be  in  it ;  after  which  he  generally  contrived  to  com- 
mence a  conversation,  and  let  people  know  that  he  was  an 
Englishman ;  having  ascertained  that  being  one  was  a  sort 
of  recommendation,  or  at  least  an  excuse  for  all  sorts  of  ec- 
centricity. On  the  present  occasion  his  bow  was  returned, 
but  no  further  notice  taken ;  scarcely  even  a  look  bestowed 
on  him ;  this  was,  however,  not  at  all  what  he  wished,  for 
two  of  the  party  were  young  and  remarkably  pretty. 

She  who  seemed  to  be  the  mother  of  the  children,  a  tall, 
gaunt  person,  had  her  head  and  chin  bound  up  with  a 
large  pocket-handkerchief,  and  seemed  to  be  suffering  from 
toothache,  which  rather  puzzled  Hamilton  when  he  had  dis- 
covered that  she  had  apparently  lost  all  her  teeth,  though 
by  no  means  old,  as  appeared  from  her  fresh-coloured  feat- 
ures and  hair  untinged  with  gray.  The  other  two  were 
very  young  and  perfect  personifications  of  German  beauty 
— blue  eyes,  blooming  cheeks,  red  lips,  and  a  profusion  of 
brown  hair  most  classically  braided  and  platted.  That  they 
were  sisters  scarcely  admitted  of  a  doubt,  so  remarkable 
was  their  resemblance  to  each  other — a  nearer  inspection 
made  it  equally  evident  that  one  was  much  handsomer  than 
the  other.  They  were  both  tall  and  very  slightly  formed, 
and  their  dark  cotton  dresses  were  made  and  put  on  with  an 
exactness  that  proved  they  were  not  indifferent  to  the  ad- 
vantages bestowed  on  them  by  nature. 

Hamilton  stood  at  the  window,  an  object  of  interest,  as  it 
seemed,  to  no  one  excepting  the  three  little  boys,  who,  with 
their  mouths  full  of  roast  chicken,  turned  round  on  their 
chairs  to  stare  at  him,  notwithstanding  the  repeated  ad- 
monitions of  their  mother,  enforced  by  an  occasional  shake 
of  the  shoulder.  The  young  ladies,  to  Hamilton's  infinite 
astonishment,  took  the  chicken-bones  in  their  fingers  and 
detached  the  meat  from  them  with  their  teeth  !  He  felt  at 
once  convinced  that  they  were  immeasurably  vulgar,  thereby 
forming  an  erroneous  conclusion  very  common  on  the  part 

2 


24  THE   INITIALS. 

of  his  travelling  countrymen,  who  are  not  aware  that  the 
mode  of  eating  is  in  Germany  no  such  exact  criterion  of 
manners  as  in  England.  His  dinner  was  now  ready,  and  as 
he  seated  himself  at  the  table  one  of  his  pretty  neighbours 
glanced  shyly  towards  him  in  a  manner  that  proved  that 
he  had  not  been  so  unobserved  as  he  imagined.  With  all 
the  vanity  of  youth  he  determined  in  his  turn  to  play  indif- 
ference, traced  diligently  his  route  on  the  map  which  he  had 
placed  beside  him,  and  made  inquiries  about  Seon.  The 
lady  with  the  bound-up  head  tapped  at  the  window  and 
asked  her  coachman  if  he  were  ready  to  put  to  the  horses ; 
the  answer  was  indistinct,  but  the  words  "  late  enough"  and 
"  Seon"  reached  Hamilton's  ears.  Bonnets,  gloves,  and 
handkerchiefs  were  sought,  and  the  children  given  in 
charge  of  their  maid  to  be  packed  into  the  carriage. 

"  I  think  we  had  better  get  in  with  the  boys  and  arrange 
ourselves  comfortably,"  observed  the  elder  lady,  following 
them  out  of  the  room. 

"  Comfort !"  exclaimed  one  of  the  girls,  in  a  melancholy 
voice,  as  she  tied  on  her  bonnet ;  "  comfort  is  quite  out  of  the 
question.  I  wish  with  all  my  heart  we  were  at  Seon  !  On 
such  a  day  as  this  seven  in  a  carriage  is  anything  but 
agreeable." 

"  I  should  not  mind,"  answered  the  other,  half-laughing, 
"  if  Peppy  did  not  insist  on  sitting  on  my  knee ;  he  kicks  so 
incessantly  that  I  suffered  tortures  on  my  way  here." 

Hamilton  advanced  towards  the  speakers,  and  observed 
that  he  was  travelling  to  the  same  place,  and  his  carriage 
was  quite  at  their  service.  They  blushed,  and  one  of  them 
seemed  disposed  to  laugh,  which  encouraged  him  to  add 
that  he  would  promise  to  be  perfectly  quiet,  and  on  no  pre- 
tence whatever  to  kick !  Either  his  words  or  manner,  or 
both,  perhaps,  displeased  them,  for,  having  exchanged  looks, 
they  murmured  something  unintelligible,  and  hastily  left 
the  room.  He  followed,  and  saw  them  get  into  their  car- 
riage, which  was  already  more  than  sufficiently  filled  with 
children  and  boxes  ;  the  maid  endeavoured  to  follow,  but  was 
obliged  to  remain  long  in  the  doorway  while  a  place  was 
being  prepared  for  her.  Wishing  to  prove  that  he  had 
made  his  proposition  with  the  intention  of  being  civil,  he 
now  approached  the  party  and  addressed  the  elder  lady — 
told  her  he  was  going  to  Seon,  was  travelling  alone,  had 


THE  LETTER.  15 

scarcely  any  luggage,  and  had  places  for  as  many  persons 
and  parcels  as  she  chose  to  transfer  to  his  carriage.  She 
thanked  him,  and  hesitatingly  regretted  that  her  boys  were 
so  unmanageable — perhaps  he  would  be  so  kind  as  to  give 
her  maid  a  place.  This  was  not  exactly  what  Hamilton  had 
intended ;  nevertheless  he  acceded  with  a  good  grace,  and 
assisted  the  spruce-looking  servant-girl  to  descend.  One  of 
the  boys  instantly  commenced  roaring,  and  declared  he 
must  and  would  go  with  her.  He  was  lifted  out  of  the  car- 
riage, and,  with  many  apologies,  Hamilton  was  asked  to 
take  charge  of  Peppy  the  kicker  !  But  Peppy  was  not  yet 
satisfied ;  he  insisted  so  vociferously  on  his  sister  Crescenz 
accompanying  him,  that  his  mother  was  at  length  obliged  to 
consent ;  and  when  Hamilton  looked  at  the  pretty  blushing 
face  of  this  new  addition  to  his  party,  he  thought  her 
mother's  apologies  not  only  tiresome  but  quite  unnecessary. 
He  had  to  wait  some  time  before  his  coachman  thought 
proper  to  depart,  and  made  an  attempt  to  express  the 
pleasure  he  felt  at  having  obtained  so  desirable  a  travelling 
companion ;  but  the  fair  Crescenz  seemed  so  overcome  with 
mauvaise  honte  that  he  thought  it  advisable  for  the  present 
to  avoid  all  conversation.  When  once  fairly  off,  he  rum- 
maged out  a  couple  of  books,  offered  her  one,  and  took  the 
other  himself.  This  proceeding  seemed  to  surprise  her,  but 
had  the  effect  he  wished,  of  making  her  feel  less  embar- 
rassed. She  turned  over  the  leaves  with  a  listlessness  which 
at  once  convinced  him  that  she  was  no  reader,  and  he  ven- 
tured to  make  a  few  remarks.  The  answers  were  at  first 
merely  monosyllables,  but  they  required  explanation,  for  he 
purposely  misunderstood  her.  One  subject  of  conversation 
led  to  another,  and  in  about  an  hour  they  were  talking  as  if 
they  had  been  acquainted  for  months.  She  informed  him 
that  her  father  had  a  situation  which  scarcely  ever  admitted 
of  his  leaving  Munich.  That  she  and  her  sister  had  lost 
their  mother  when  they  mere  children,  and  they  had  been 
sent  to  school  when  their  father  had  married  again.  They 
had  returned  home  but  a  few  weeks  ago,  and  their  step- 
mother, having  been  ordered  change  of  air,  had  chosen 
Seon,  because  the  baths  there  had  been  of  use  to  her  on  9. 
former  occasion.  They  had  been  very  happy  to  leave  school, 
and  were  equally  happy  to  go  to  the  country — especially  to 
Seon. 


16  THE  INITIALS. 

"  And  why  especially  to  Seon  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Oh,  because  I  have  heard  so  much  of  it  from  one  of  my 
school  friends." 

'•Perhaps,  then,  you  can  give  me  some  information.  I 
have  not  the  least  idea  what  sort  of  a  place  it  is." 

"  I  believe  it  is  a  great  old  monastery,  with  long  corridors, 
where  one  might  expect  to  meet  the  ghosts  of  the  monks 
stalking  about — and  the  windows  look  into  dark  courts — 
and  on  a  moonlight  night  it  is  quite  romantic  walking  in  the 
cloisters !" 

"  And  did  your  friend  wander  about  quite  alone  and  by 
moonlight  in  such  a  place  ?" 

"  Oh,  she  was  not  alone"  said  Crescenz,  smiling,  and 
shaking  her  head  slyly. 

"  So  I  imagined — probably  her  mother  or  her  sister  walked 
with  her." 

"  Her  mother  was  rot  there,  and  her  brother-in-law  would 
not  allow  her  sister  to  walk  by  moonlight." 

"  What  a  barbarian  he  must  have  been  !  Who,  then, 
could  have  been  her  companion?  It  could  hardly  have 
been  her  father  ?" 

Crescenz  laughed  outright.  "  Oh,  no ;  had  it  been  hei 
father,  Lina  would  not  have  been  sent  back  to  school  again. 
They  said  she  had  done  all  sorts  of  wild  things  at  home  ; 
that  her  head  was  full  of  nonsense,  and  she  must  be  cured." 

"  And  was  she  cured  ?" 

"  I  suppose  so,  for  some  time  after  she  left  us  again  she 
married  an  ugly  old  doctor.  Oh,  he  is  so  ugly  !  His  chin 
sticks  out  so!"  In  explanation  she  thrust  out  her  full  red 
underlip,  forming  thereby  a  better  personification  of  a  pretty 
naughty  child  than  an  ugly  old  doctor.  "  I  was  allowed  to 
be  her  bridesmaid,"  she  continued,  "  and  as  I  knew  all  about 
Theodor,  I  asked  her  if  she  really  were  as  happy  as  she 
seemed  to  be.  And — can  you  believe  it? — she  said  that  all 
the  fine  things  she  had  told  me  of  Seon  and  first  love  was 
stuff  and  nonsense — that  she  had  invited  Theodor  to  her 
wedding,  and  intended  to  dance  with  him  in  the  even- 
ingl" 

"  In  fact,  the  affair  with  Theodor  was  merely  a  flirtation," 
observed  Hamilton. 

"  I  don't  know  what  that  means,"  she  answered,  looking 
inquiringly  in  his  face  ;  "  it  is  an  English  word,  I  suppose." 


THE  LETTER.  17 

"Quite  English,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing;  « but  youi 
friend  seems  to  have  understood  the  meaning  perfectly. 

"  And  yet  she  did  not  take  any  lessons  in  English,  said 
Crescenz,  thoughtfully;  "but  I  remember  her  saying  to  me 
at  school  that,  if  she  could  not  marry  Theodor,  she  would  go 
into  a  nunnery !     And  then  to  be  satisfied  with  ugly  old  Dv. 

Berber  ?" 

"You  would  not  have  acted  so?"  inquired  Hamilton. 
She  was  about  to  answer,  when  her  eyes  caught  that  of 
the  servant  opposite  to  them ;  she  coloured  and  remained 
silent.  Hamilton  had  long  thought  this  personage  a  bore, 
although  she  had  been  too  much  occupied  with  little  Master 
Peppy  to  have  heard  much  of  their  conversation.  It  sud- 
denly, however,  occurred  to  him  to  repeat  his  question  in 
French,  and  this  removed  all  difficulties,  for  the  young  lady 
spoke  so  remarkably  fluently  that  the  conversation  proceeded 
more  flowingly  than  before.  From  the  specimen  given,  it 
may  be  supposed  that  a  sufficient  quantity  of  nonsense  was 
talked ;  however,  they  contrived  to  amuse  themselves  so  well 
that  they  actually  drove  up  to  the  ci-devant  monastery  with- 
out having  seen  a  chimney  to  warn  them  that  their  journey 
was  drawing  to  a  close.  Crescenz's  step-mother  was  waiting 
to  receive  them,  and  overwhelmed  Hamilton  with  thanks, 
while  he,  taken  completely  by  surprise,  had  only  time  to 
whisper  hurriedly  to  his  travelling  companion—"  I  shall  cer- 
tainly see  you  a^ain,  even  if  I  should  decide  on  leaving  Seon 
to-morrow ;"  and,  as  he  assisted  her  out  of  the  carriage  he 
added,  "  We  positively  must  try  the  cloisters  by  moonlight. 

But  no  answering  smile  played  round  her  coral  lips.  Cres- 
cenz seemed  to  be  metamorphosed.  No  sooner  had  her  feet 
touched  the  ground  than  one  glided  gently  behind  the  other, 
and  a  profound  curtsy,  such  as  very  young  ladies  are  taught 
to  make  by  a  dancing-master,  was  performed  to  his  infinite 
astonishment ;  a  few  neat  and  appropriate  words  ol  thanks 
were  added,  which,  had  they  not  been  accompanied  by  a 
burning  blush,  he  would  have  considered  the  most  consum- 
mate piece  of  acting  he  had  ever  witnessed.  Hamilton  bit 
his  lip,  and  coloured  deeply,  as  he  mechanically  followed  the 
landlady  through  a  side-door  into  the  monastery. 

He  was  conducted  up  a  back  staircase  to  a  long  corridor, 
at  the  end  of  which  was  a  small  passage  leading  into  a  toler- 
ably large,  cheerful  room,  to  his  great  disappointment  not 
b  2* 


18  THE  INITIALS. 

bearing  any  perceptible  marks  of  antiquity.  On  expressing 
some  surprise,  he  was  told  that  the  monastery  had  been  twice 
almost  burnt  to  the  ground,  and  that  only  some  parts  of  the 
original  building  remained.  His  room  was  the  most  modern 
of  all,  and  had  been  the  apartment  of  the  abbot  before  the 
secularisation. 

"  Have  you  many  people  staying  here  at  present  ?"  asked 
Hamilton. 

"  Not  many ;  several  left  this  morning,  but  we  expect 
others  next  week." 

"  And  the  names  of  those  who  are  still  here?"  asked  Ham- 
ilton in  considerable  alarm. 

"  Still  here,"  repeated  the  landlady ;  but  at  this  instant 
the  sounds  of  wheels  and  horses'  hoofs  made  Hamilton  rush 
to  one  of  the  windows.  A  small  open  carriage  and  its  dust- 
covered  occupant  attracted  his  attention  so  completely  that, 
without  waiting  for  an  answer  to  his  former  question,  he 
added,  "Who  is  that?" 

"  Ah,  the  Herr  Baron  !"  cried  the  landlady,  looking  out  of 
the  window,  and  then  quickly  leaving  the  room. 

The  traveller  started  up  in  the  carriage  and  looked  around 
him.  He  was  dressed  in  a  sort  of  loose  shooting-jacket  of 
gray  cloth,  which  completely  concealed  his  figure ;  and  his 
dark-green  felt  hat  was  slouched  over  his  face,  leaving  little 
visible  excepting  the  mustache,  surmounted  by  a  well-formed 
aquiline  nose.  "  Is  no  one  here?"  he  cried,  exhibiting  some 
very  unequivocal  signs  of  impatience  ;  and  a  servant  in  plain 
livery  came  at  full  speed,  followed  by  half  a  dozen  men  and 
women,  who  were  soon  all  employed  unpacking  the  carriage. 
Carpet-bag,  meerschaum  pipes  of  different  forms  and  dimen- 
sions, newspapers,  cigar-cases,  boots,  powder-horn,  umbrella, 
double-barrelled  gun,  sketch-book,  a  very  old  pistol,  a  very 
new  rifle,  and  some  rolls  of  bread,  followed  each  other  in  odd 
confusion.  Some  one  at  a  window  not  distant  from  Hamil- 
ton laughed  heartily ;  the  traveller  looked  up,  laughed  also, 
and  flourished  his  hat  in  the  air.  "  What  a  dusty  figure  I" 
exclaimed  the  invisible.  "  Have  you  brought  no  trophy  ? 
No  venison  for  our  landlady  ?" 

"  The  chamois  hunt  was  unsuccessful,  although  I  remained 
out  all  night ;  but  my  new  rifle  performed  wonders  at  the 
Scheiben  schiessen." 

Another  laugh  from  the  window  made  him  seize  his  rifle, 


THE  LETTER.  19 

and  jestingly  point  it  upwards — it  was,  however,  directly 
thrown  aside,  while  he  half-apologetically  exclaimed,  "  It  can- 
not go  off,  I  assure  you.  Look  here,  it  is  not  even  loaded," 
and  he  grasped  the  ramrod  to  prove  his  assertion  ;  but  some 
unexpected  impediment  in  the  barrel  caused  him  to  grow 
suddenly  red — he  raised  the  offending  weapon  as  if  with  the 
intention  of  firing  it  off,  but  after  a  hasty  glance  towards  the 
window,  he  gave  it  to  one  of  the  bystanders,  requesting 
him  to  draw  out  the  charge,  and  then  ran  quickly  into  the 
house. 

In  the  meantime,  Hamilton's  coachman  had  brought  up 
his  luggage,  and  a  chambermaid  waited  to  know  whether  or 
not  he  intended  to  sup  below  stairs.  Supper  would  be  in  the 
little  room  through  which  he  had  passed  on  his  entrance, 
as  there  were  too  few  people  for  the  saloon.  Perhaps  he 
wished  to  sup  in  his  own  room  ? 

"  By  no  means,  I  always  prefer  a  table-d'hote.  Pray,  can 
you  tell  me  the  names  of  some  of  the  people  here  ?  I  may, 
perhaps,  have  an  acquaintance  among  them." 

"  Major  Stultz,  from  Munich.  The  family  who  have  just 
arrived  are  the  Rosenbergs,  from  " 

"  I  know — I  know,"  cried  Hamilton,  nodding  his  head. 

"  Then  there  is  Mr.  Schmearer,  landscape-painter,  and 
Count  Zedwitz — his  wife  and  daughter " 

"  Who  do  you  say  ?"  said  Hamilton,  suddenly  recollecting 
A.  Z. 

"  Count  Zedwitz  and  the  Countess,  and " 

"  Can  they  speak  English?" 

"  Oh,  no  doubt ;  and  French,  too,  quite  perfectly ;  they 
speak  a  great  many  languages." 

"  They  are  not,  however,  invalids  ?  That  is,  they  are  not 
here  on  account  of  the  baths?" 

"  No  ;  I  believe  they  came  to  meet  some  friends  whom  they 
intended  to  have  visited.  I  heard  the  Count's  servants  say- 
ing that  their  house,  or  the  Baron's,  was  full  of  masons  and 
painters." 

"  Ah  !  exactly " 

"  But  the  old  Countess  does  take  baths,"  continued  the 
chambermaid,"  and  finds  great  benefit  from  them,  too.  The 
Count  is  a  favourer  of  Preissnitz  and  the  Water  Cure ;  and 
when  he  does  not  go  to  Graefenberg,  all  places  are  alike  to 
him  where  water  is  good  and  in  abundance." 


20  THE  INITIALS. 

"  And  his  daughter  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  now  convinced  that 
he  had  found  A.  Z. 

"  Oh,  his  daughter  springs  from  her  bed  every  morning 
into  a  tub  of  cold  water  with  a  great  sponge  in  it,  to  please 
him ;  but  I  never  heard  of  her  having  sweated,  or " 

"  Her  having  what  ?" 

"  Sweated  !  The  Count  sent  his  bed  and  tubs  here  the 
day  before  he  came,  and  his  servant  Pepperl  must  tie  him 
up  every  morning." 

"  You  never  heard  of  mademoiselle's  being  tied  up  by 
Pepperl?"  asked  Hamilton,  gravely. 

"  I  believe  she  never  had  the  rheumatism ;  but  one  day, 
when  she  had  a  headache,  I  saw  her  sitting  with  her  feet  in 
a  tub  of  cold  water,  and  wet  towels  around  her  head." 

Some  one  just  then  knocked  gently  at  the  door.  "  Come 
in !"  cried  Hamilton,  and,  to  his  no  small  surprise,  Crescenz 
appeared  in  the  doorway.  She  blushed,  and  so  did  he,  and 
then  he  blushed  because  he  had  blushed  ;  and  to  conceal  his 
annoyance  he  had  assumed  a  cold,  haughty  manner,  and 
waited  for  her  to  speak.  She  stammered  something  about  a 
reticule  and  pocket  handkerchief,  as,  with  the  assistance  of 
the  chambermaid,  she  moved  his  carpet-bag,  and  shook  his 
cloak  in  every  possible  direction.  Nothing  was  to  be  found, 
and  she  was  just  about  to  leave  the  room  when  Hamilton 
perceived  the  lost  property  under  his  dressing-case.  As  he 
restored  it,  and  held  the  door  open  for  her  to  pass,  he  took 
advantage  of  the  opportunity,  and  returned  her  former  curtsy 
with  an  obeisance  so  profound  that  it  amounted  to  mockery  ; 
and  as  such  she  felt  it,  too,  for  the  colour  mounted  through 
the  roots  of  her  hair,  suffusing  with  deep  red  both  neck  and 
ears  as  she  bent  down  her  head,  and  hurried  out  of  the  room, 
followed  by  the  chambermaid.  Hamilton  was  so  shocked  at 
his  rudeness  that  he  felt  greatly  inclined  to  run  after  her 
and  apologise ;  and  had  she  been  alone  he  would  certainly 
have  done  so,  for  it  directly  occurred  to  him  that  she  had 
come  herself  to  seek  her  handkerchief  in  order  to  have  an 
opportunity  of  explaining  to  him  the  cause  of  her  sudden 
and  extraordinary  change  of  manner.  This  made  him  still 
mere  repent  of  his  puerile  conduct,  and  wish  he  had  spoken 
to  her.  He  looked  out  of  the  window  to  see  if  he  were 
likely  to  meet  her  should  he  perambulate  the  much  talked-of 
cloister,  but   instead  of   the  rising   moon,   angry  thunder- 


THE  LETTER.  21 

clouds  were  rapidly  converting  the  remaining  twilight  into 
darkest  night.  His  hopes  of  a  romantic  interview  and  ex- 
planation were  at  an  end  ;  there  was  no  chance  of  moonlight, 
and  the  acquaintance  was  much  too  new  to  think  of  a  meet- 
ing in  thunder  and  lightning !  The  supper-table  seemed 
a  more  eligible  place,  and,  spurred  both  by  contrition  and 
hunger,  he  determined  to  repair  to  it  with  all  possible  ex- 
pedition. 

On  leaving  the  small  passage  conducting  to  his  room,  he 
entered  the  long  corridor  which  he  had  traversed  with  the 
landlady ;  on  turning,  however,  as  he  thought,  to  the  stair- 
case by  which  he  had  ascended,  he  suddenly  found  himself 
in  a  small  but  lofty  chapel.  It  was  too  dark  to  see  distinctly 
the  decorations  of  the  altar,  but  it  seemed  as  if  gilding  had 
not  been  spared  ;  two  small  adjoining  apartments  he  next 
examined,  and  then  completely  forgetting  whether  he  had 
entered  from  the  right  or  left  hand,  he  walked  inquisitively 
forward  until  a  broad  gloomy  passage  brought  him  to  a  cor- 
ridor, which  he  instinctively  felt  to  be  the  place  where  on 
moonlight  nights  one  might  perchance  be  disposed  to  ro- 
mance. The  doors  opposite  to  him,  placed  close  to  each 
other,  had  probably  belonged  to  cells  ;  over  each  was  a  black- 
looking  picture,  portraits  of  the  abbots,  the  faces  and  hands 
looking  most  ghastly  in  their  indistinctness.  A  broad  stair- 
case was  near,  but  fearing  to  lose  his  way  completely,  he 
contented  himself  for  the  present  with  reconnoitring  the 
garden  and  a  lake  from  a  sort  of  lobby  window.  Woods 
and  mountains  were  in  the  distance,  but  every  moment  be- 
coming less  distinct ;  the  oppressive  calm  had  been  succeeded 
by  a  wild  wind  which  bent  the  trees  in  all  directions,  and 
ruffled  the  surface  of  the  water.  Interested  in  the  approach- 
ing thunder-storm,  he  stood  at  the  windov  until  his  revery 
was  interrupted  by  the  sound  of  footsteps,  voices,  and  the 
clapping  of  doors.  He  turned  quickly  from  the  window, 
walked  to  the  end  of  the  corridor,  turned  to  the  left,  and 
entered  a  very  narrow  passage  looking  into  a  small  quad- 
rangular court,  which  seemed  once  to  have  been  a  garden ;  it 
still  possessed  a  few  trees,  a  fountain,  and  a  luxuriant  growth 
of  rank  grass.  He  mounted  a  flight  of  stone  steps,  which 
brought  him  into  the  organ  loft,  whence  he  had  a  full  view 
of  the  monastery  church.  The  lamp  which  hung  suspended 
before  the  altar  threw  fitful  gleams  of  light  on  the  objects  in 


22  THE  INITIALS. 

its  immediate  vicinity — all  the  rest  was  in  shadow ;  behind 
the  organ  was  a  sort  of  vaulted,  unfinished  room,  containing 
nothing  but  a  most  clumsy  apparatus  for  filling  the  bellows. 
Just  as  he  was  about  to  leave  this  uninteresting  place,  two 
persons  entered  the  adjoining  loft;  recognising  the  voice  of 
his  travelling  companion,  and  perceiving  she  was  accom- 
panied by  her  sister,  he  commenced  a  precipitate  retreat  by 
another  entrance  than  that  next  the  organ ;  in  his  haste, 
however,  he  entangled  his  foot  in  the  rope  communicating 
with  the  belfry,  so  that  his  slightest  movement  might  alarm 
the  whole  household.  While  endeavouring,  as  well  as  the 
darkness  would  permit,  to  extricate  himself,  he  was  compelled 
to  become  auditor  to  a  conversation  certainly  not  intended 
for  his  ears. 

"  And  you  don't  think  him  at  all  good-looking  ?"  asked 
Crescenz. 

"  I  cannot  say  that  his  appearance  particularly  pleased 
me,  but  you  know  I  only  saw  him  eating  his  dinner ;  he 
seemed,  however,  to  have  an  uncommonly  good  opinion  of 
himself!" 

"  At  all  events,"  said  Crescenz,  "  it  was  very  obliging  of 
him  to  take  us  in  his  carriage.  I  am  sure  if  you  had 
travelled  with  him  instead  of  me,  you  would  think  quite 
differently." 

';  Dear  Crescenz !  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  was  agreeable, 
as  you  say  so ;  and  I  agree  with  you  in  thinking  him  very 
civil,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  but  you  cannot  force  me  to 
think  him  handsome." 

"  I  did  not  say  that  I  thought  him  handsome,"  cried 
Crescenz,  deprecatingly. 

"  No  !  Something  very  like  it,  then.  Let  me  see,  hum 
— a — most  interesting  person  you  ever  saw ;  brilliant  dark 
eyes,  with  long  eyelashes ;  magnificent  teeth,  beautiful 
mouth,  refined  manners,  and  ever  so  much  more !  Now,  I 
think  him  an  effeminate-looking,  supercilious  boy,  and " 

"  Oh,  I  might  have  foreseen,"  cried  Crescenz,  interrupt- 
ing her  sister,  "  I  might  have  foreseen  that  he  would  find  no 
favour  in  your  eyes,  as  he  is  not  an  officer  with  a  long 
sword  clattering  at  his  side." 

11  Sword  or  no  sword,"  answered  the  other,  laughing,  "  he 
would  not  look  like  anything  but  an  overgrown  schoolboy, 
perhaps  a  student,  or — an  embryo  attache  to  an  embassy." 


THE  LETTER.  23 

Hamilton's  blush  of  annoyance  was  concealed  by  the 
darkness. 

"  I  intended,"  began  Crescenz,  hesitatingly,  "  I  intended 
to  have  told  you  something,  but  you  seem  to  be  so  prejudiced 
against  him  that " 

"  Prejudiced !  Not  in  the  least.  I  do  not  think  him 
particularly  handsome,  that's  all !" 

"  Well,  you  know  I  toid  you  we  talked  a  great  deal  dur- 
ing our  journey,  and — and  a — in  short,  just  as  we  reached 
Seon  he  said  something  about  meeting  me  in  the  corridor 
by  moonlight." 

"  Just  what  I  should  have  expected  from  him !"  cried  the 
other,  angrily.  "  How  presuming  on  so  short  an  acquaint- 
ance?" 

"  He  is  an  Englishman,"  said  Crescenz,  apologetically ; 
"  and  certainly  did  not  mean  anything  wrong,  for  his  man- 
ner did  not  change  in  the  least  when  he  saw  mamma,  while 
I  was  so  dreadfully  afraid  that  she  might  observe — Oh ! 
Hildegarde  !  What  is  that  ?  Did  you  not  hear  something 
moving?" 

"  I  think  I  did  ;  let  us  listen."  A  pause  ensued.  "  It's 
only  the  thunder-storm,  and" — taking  a  long  breath — "  the 
ticking  of  the  great  cIock." 

"  How  like  someone  breathing  heavily,"  exclaimed  Cres- 
cenz, anxiously. 

"  And  how  dark  it  is  !  We  can  hardly  find  our  way  out," 
said  Hildegarde. 

Hamilton  did  not  venture  to  move ;  they  were  so  near 
him  that  he  heard  the  hands  feeling  the  way  on  the  wall  close 
to  where  he  stood.  One  reached  the  narrow  passage  in 
safety,  the  other  stumbled  on  the  stairs ;  and,  as  Hamilton 
unconsciously  made  a  movement  to  assist  her,  the  lightning, 
which  had  once  or  twice  enabled  him  to  distinguish  their 
figures,  now  rendered  him  for  a  moment  visible.  It  was  in 
vain  he  again  drew  back  into  his  hiding-place.  With  a  cry 
of  terror,  Crescenz  raised  herself  from  the  ground,  and 
rushed  into  her  sister's  arms,  exclaiming,  "  I  have  seen 
him  !     I  have  seen  him  !     He  is  here !" 

"What!     Who  is  here?" 

"  The  Englishman  !  the  Englishman  !" 

"  Impossible  !  How  can  you  be  so  foolish  ?  Come,  come, 
let  us  leave  this  place." 


24  THE  INITIALS. 

"  I  saw  him,  and  the  lightning  played  upon  his  face,  and 
he  looked  as  if  he  were  dead.  I  saw  him,  indeed  I  saw 
him  !"  cried  Crescenz,  sobbing  frantically. 

"  Crescenz — dear  Crescenz  !"  said  her  sister,  vainly  en- 
deavouring to  calm  her. 

Hamilton  was  inexpressibly  shocked,  and  conceiving  his 
actual  presence  would  relieve  her  mind  from  the  fear  of 
having  seen  something  supernatural,  he  came  forward  and 
explained,  as  well  as  he  could,  the  cause  of  his  being  there. 
In  the  excess  of  his  anxiety  he  seized  her  hand,  called  her 
Crescenz,  and  talked  he  knew  not  what  nonsense.  Her 
efforts  to  control  her  emotions  were  desperate.  She  forced 
a  laugh,  but  the  attempt  ended  in  a  scream,  which  echoed 
wildly  through  the  building. 

"  Crescenz  !  Crescenz  !  have  you  lost  your  senses  ?"  cried 
her  sister.     "  You  will  bring  the  whole  house  about  us  !" 

Her  words  seemed  likely  to  be  verified,  for  lights  began 
to  glimmer  in  all  directions. 

"  Mamma  will  come,  and  we  may  make  up  our  minds 
to  return  to  Munich  to-morrow,"  cried  Hildegarde,  impa- 
tiently. 

Hamilton's  situation  now  became  uncomfortable ;  it  was, 
to  say  the  least,  not  favourable  for  a  first  appearance  among 
strangers ;  and  the  thought  that  "  A.  Z."  might  be  among 
them  was  so  overpowering  that  he  stood  perfectly  petrified, 
and  still  unconsciously  holding  Crescenz's  hand.  "  As  to 
you,  the  Englishman,"  continued  Hildegarde,  angrily,  "  your 
standing  there  can  only  increase  our  embarrassment.  Be- 
gone !     It  is  still  possible  for  you  to  escape  observation." 

He  turned  mechanically  towards  the  organ-loft. 

"  Not  there  !  Not  there  !"  she  cried  vehemently.  "  One 
would  really  think  you  a  fool !" 

Roused  by  this  somewhat  uncivil  observation,  Hamilton 
asked,  in  about  as  gentle  a  tone  of  voice  as  her  own, ';  Where 
the  d — 1  shall  I  go,  then,  mademoiselle?  You  don't  wish 
me  to  face  all  those  lights,  do  you  ?" 

"  Go !  go !  go !"  she  cried,  with  increased  violence,  and 
stamping  the  ground  with  her  feet.  "  You  can  cross  the 
corridor  before  they  reach  the  entrance  to  this  passage." 

He  ran,  crossed  the  passage,  stumbled  up  some  two  or 
three  steps  to  a  door,  which  charitably  yielded  to  his  hand, 
and  afforded  him  a  retreat  into — the  church — for  there  he 


THE  LETTER.  25 

was  again  !  Now  completely  confused,  and  feeling  as  if 
under  the  influence  of  nightmare,  he  threw  himself  into  a 
seat,  and  covered  his  face  with  his  hands.  Steps  and  in- 
quiring voices  came  nearer  and  nearer.  He  heard  scolding, 
wondering,  expostulating ;  then  all  was  quiet,  and  only 
Crescenz's  subdued  sobs  reached  his  ear.  All  at  once,  to 
his  no  small  dismay,  the  church  became  lighted ;  some  per- 
sons with  candles  were  in  the  orgao-loft  opposite  to  him ;  he 
could  see  them,  however,  in  tolerable  security,  for  his  place 
of  refuge  proved  to  be  the  enclosed  gallery  formerly  occu- 
pied by  the  monks.  In  the  meantime  the  storm  had  in- 
creased ;  one  flash  of  lightning  was  followed  so  immediately 
by  thunder  so  loud  that  it  seemed  to  shake  the  very  founda- 
tions of  the  monastery.  It  served  to  disperse  the  assembly, 
for  Hamilton  heard  soon  after  the  retreating  steps  passing 
the  door  of  the  gallery,  the  opening  and  shutting  of  several 
doors,  voices  lost  in  the  distance,  and  all  was  again  still. 
He  waited  merely  to  assure  himself  that  no  one  was  in  the 
way,  and  then  cautiously  commenced  his  retreat.  A 
juvenile  reminiscence  made  him  smile  as  he  now  moved 
from  his  hiding-place ;  he  remembered  the  time  when  he 
had  hoped  his  "  new  boots  would  creak,"  and  had  even 
tampered  with  the  boot-maker's  apprentice  when  he  had 
been  so  lucky  as  to  have  his  measure  taken  without  wit- 
nesses. And  now,  what  would  he  not  have  given  for  a  pair 
of  slippers,  or  anything  but  creaking  boots !  He  had 
scarcely  made  six  strides  on  tiptoe  when  a  door  opened,  and 
a  head  protruded  itself.  He  trusted  to  the  darkness  for 
concealment,  and  leaned  against  the  wall ;  the  head  had  no 
sooner  disappeared,  than,  seizing  the  favourable  moment, 
he  rushed  into  a  dark  passage,  and  ran,  unconscious  whether 
he  turned  right  or  left,  until  he  reached  a  large  open  win- 
dow. He  looked  out,  and  saw  the  traveller's  little  green 
carriage  being  pushed  towards  the  coach-house.  Here  was 
a  sort  of  compass  to  steer  by ;  his  windows  had  the  same 
aspect,  ergo,  that  door  must  lead  to  his  room.  Before,  how- 
ever, he  undertook  another  expedition,  he  thought  it  pru- 
dent to  get  a  light.  This  caused  a  few  minutes'  delay ;  and 
when  he  again  sallied  forth  he  seemed  destined  to  be  more 
fortunate.  Hildegarde  and  her  step-mother  walked  before 
him,  as  if  to  point  the  way.  They  disappeared  at  the  end 
of  the  passage,  and  he  quickened  his  steps  in  order  to  over- 
b  3 


"£  TEE  INITIALS. 

take  them  on  the  stairs.  The  latter  was  speaking  loudly,  it 
seemed  in  continuation  of  a  previous  discourse.  "  You  may 
rest  assured  that  your  father  shall  have  a  full  account  of 
the  whole  affair !  Such  a  disgraceful  scene !  Count  Zed- 
witz  sent  his  servant  to  inquire  what  was  the  matter,  and 
recommended  immersion  in  cold  water.  A  good  ducking 
would  have  most  effectually  quieted  Crescenz's  nerves,  and 
I  shall  certainly  try  it  next  time.  My  health  is  not  likely 
to  be  much  benefited  by  a  residence  here,  if  I  have  to  act 
duenna  to  you  and  your  sister !  Remember,  I  strictly  for- 
bid your  walking  in  these  passages  after  sunset  in  future. 
Do  you  hear?" 

"  Yes,  madame." 

"  As  to  Crescenz  being  so  afraid  of  lightning,  that's  all 
nonsense  !  I  should  like  to  know  if  all  the  young  ladies  at 
school  scream  in  that  manner  whenever  they  see  a  flash  of 
lightning  !" 

"  The  thunder  was  very  loud,"  began  Hildegarde  ;  "  and, 
besides,  you  have  not  heard  that  she  saw " 

"  Well,  well,"  cried  her  mother,  interrupting  her,  to  Ham- 
ilton's great  satisfaction,  "  thunder  or  lightning — or  both — 
there  was  no  occasion  for  such  a  noise,  and  I  give  you  warn- 
ing that  the  very  first  time  I  have  cause  to  be  dissatisfied 
with  you  or  your  sister,  back  you  shall  go  to  school.  Health 
is  my  object  at  present,  and  every  irritation  of  the  nerves 
has  been  expressly  forbidden  by  my  medical  adviser." 

To  this  speech  no  answer  was  made,  and  Hamilton  fol- 
lowed them  at  a  distance  into  the  supper-room.  He  had 
lost  so  much  time  in  the  organ-loft  that  almost  all  of  the 
guests  were  already  gone.  The  traveller,  whose  arrival  he 
had  witnessed,  was  in  the  act  of  lighting  a  cigar,  with  which 
he  immediately  left  the  room.  An  elderly,  red-faced,  stout 
gentleman,  with  a  tankard  of  beer  beside  him,  he  soon  dis- 
covered to  be  Major  Stultz ;  nor  did  it  require  much  pene- 
tration to  recognise  Mr.  Schmearer,  the  painter,  in  the 
emaciated,  sentimental-looking  young  man  beside  whom  he 
seated  himself.  Hildegarde  and  her  step-mother  were  nearly 
opposite ;  the  former,  after  bestowing  on  Hamilton  a  look 
which  might  appropriately  have  accompanied  a  box  on  the 
ear,  fixed  her  eyes  on  the  table ;  the  latter  bowed  most 
graciously,  and  commenced  an  interesting  conversation  about 
the  weather,  the  barometer,  and  her  dislike  to  thunder-storms 


THE  LETTER.  27 

in  general.  When  these  topics  had  been  completely  ex- 
hausted, Hamilton  hoped  something  might  be  said  of  the 
present  inmates  of  Seon  ;  but  a  long  and  tiresome  discussion 
on  the  merits  of  summer  and  winter  beer  followed.  Strauss's 
beer  was  delicious — bock  had  been  particularly  good  this 
year.     "Bock!"  cried  Major  Stultz,  enthusiastically,  "  bock 

is  better  than  champagne  !     Bock  is "     Here  he  looked 

up  with  an  impassioned  air  to  the  ceiling,  and  kissed  the 
first  two  fingers  of  his  right  hand,  flourishing  them  in  the 
air  afterwards.  Words,  it  seems,  were  inadequate  to  express 
the  merits  of  this  beverage. 

"  Did  you  see  that  picture  at  the  Kunstverein1  in  Munich, 
representing  a  glass  of  foaming  bock,  with  the  usual  acces- 
sories of  bread  and  radishes  ?"  asked  Mr.  Schmearer.  "  It 
was  exquisitely  painted !  I  believe  his  majesty  purchased 
it." 

"  There  is  some  sense  in  such  a  picture  as  that,"  answered 
Major  Stultz.  "  I  went  two  or  three  times  to  see  it,  and 
could  scarcely  avoid  stretching  out  my  hand  to  feel  if  it  were 
not  some  deception." 

"  A  judicious  management  of  reflected  lights  produces  ex- 
traordinary effect  in  the  representation  of  fluids,"  observed 
Mr.  Schmearer. 

A  pause  ensued.  Major  Stultz  did  not  seem  disposed  to 
discuss  reflected  lights ;  the  picture  had  evidently  had  no 
value  for  him  excepting  as  a  good  representation  of  a  glass 
of  bock ;  and  his  attention  was  now  directed  towards  Hilde- 
garde,  whose  flushed  cheeks  and  pouting  lips  rather  height- 
ened than  detracted  from  her  beauty. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  see  the  newspapers,  madame  ?" 
he  asked,  politely  offering  the  latest  arrived  to  her  step- 
mother. 

"Thank  you;  I  never  read  newspapers,  though  I  join 
some  acquaintances  in  taking  the  Eilbote,  on  condition  that 
it  comes  to  us  last  of  all,  and  then  we  can  keep  the  paper 
for  cleaning  the  looking-glasses  and  windows." 

"  There  are,  however,  sometimes  very  pretty  stories  and 
charades  in  the  Eilbote.  Young  ladies  like  such  things,"  he 
observed,  glancing  significantly  towards  Hildegarde. 

"  My  daughters  must  read  nothing  but  French,  and  I  have 

1  Society  of  Arts. 


28  THE  INITIALS. 

subscribed  to  a  library  for  them.  Their  French  has  occupied 
more  than  half  their  lives  at  school,  and  now  I  intend  them 
to  teach  the  boys." 

"  /should  have  no  sort  of  objection  to  learn  French  from 
such  an  instructress,"  said  the  Major,  gallantly. 

"  Indeed,  I  don't  think  anyone  will  ever  learn  much  from 
her,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  severely;  "but  her  sister 
Crescenz  is  a  good  girl,  and  the  children  are  very  fond  of 
her." 

"  You  have  two  daughters  !"  exclaimed  the  Major. 

"  Step-daughters"  she  replied,  dryly. 

"  That  I  took  for  granted,"  he  said,  bowing,  as  if  he  in- 
tended to  be  very  civil.  "  The  young  ladies  will  be  of  great 
use  to  you  in  the  housekeeping." 

"  That  is  exactly  what  has  been  neglected  in  their  educa- 
tion ;  if  they  could  keep  a  house  as  well  as  they  can  speak 
French,  I  should  be  satisfied.  When  we  return  to  Munich, 
they  must  both  learn  cookery.  I  intend  afterwards  to  give 
the  children  to  one  and  the  housekeeping  to  the  other,  alter- 
nately." 

"  You  will  prepare  the  young  ladies  so  well  for  their  des- 
tination that  I  suspect  they  will  not  remain  long  unmarried  !" 

l>  There's  not  much  chance  of  that !  Husbands  are  not  so 
easily  found  for  portionless  daughters!"  replied  Madame 
Rosenberg,  facetiously ;  "  however,  I  am  quite  ready  to  give 
my  consent,  should  anything  good  oiler." 

Hamilton  looked  at  Hildegarde  to  see  what  impression 
this  conversation  had  made  on  her.  She  had  turned  away 
as  much  as  possible  from  the  speakers,  and  with  her  bead 
bent  down  seemed  to  watch  intently  the  bursting  of  the 
bubbles  in  a  glass  of  beer.  Had  it  been  her  sister,  he  would 
have  thought  she  had  chosen  the  occupation  to  conceal  her 
embarrassment — but  embarrassment  was  not  Hildegarde's 
predominant  feeling ;  her  compressed  lips  and  quick  breath- 
ing denoted  suppressed  anger,  which  amounted  to  rage,  as 
her  step-mother  in  direct  terms  asked  Major  Stultz  if  he  were 
married,  and  received  for  answer  that  he  was  "  a  bachelor, 
at  her  service."  With  a  sudden  jerk,  the  glass  was  pros- 
trated on  the  table,  and  before  Hamilton  could  raise  his  arm 
its  contents  were  deposited  in  the  sleeve  of  his  coat. 

"  Pardon  mille-fois !"  cried  Hildegarde,  looking  really 
sorry  for  what  had  occurred. 


THE  INITIALS.  29 

"  You  irritable,  awkward  girl !"  commenced  her  mother ; 
but  for  some  undoubtedly  excellent  reason,  she  suddenly- 
changed  her  manner,  and  added — "  You  had  better  go  to 
bed,  child  ;  I  see  you  have  not  yet  recovered  from  the  recent 
alarm  in  the  church." 

Hildegarde  rose  quickly  from  her  chair,  and  with  a  slight 
and  somewhat  haughty  obeisance  to  the  company,  left  the 
room  in  silence.  Madame  Rosenberg  continued  volubly  to 
excuse  her  to  Hamilton,  and,  what  he  thought  quite  unneces- 
sary, to  Major  Stultz  also  ! 

The  Major  listened  with  complacence  ;  but  Hamilton's  wet 
shirt-sleeve  induced  him  to  finish  his  supper  as  quickly  as 
possible  and  wish  the  company  good-night. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   INITIALS. 


Hamilton  thought  there  were  few  things  so  disagreeable 
as  going  to  bed,  excepting,  perhaps,  getting  up  again.  He 
was  incorrigibly  indolent  in  this  respect,  and  nothing  but 
the  most  fresh  and  beautiful  of  mornings,  aided  perhaps  by 
the  transparent  muslin  curtains,  which  had  admitted  every 
ray  of  light  from  daybreak,  could  have  induced  him  to  get 
up  and  be  dressed  at  six  o'clock  ;  and  that,  too,  without  any 
immediate  object  in  view,  for  three  or  four  hours  at  least 
must  elapse  before  he  could  venture  to  intrude  on  "A.  Z." 
He  was  not  a  little  surprised  to  find  Crescenz  and  her  sister 
already  in  the  garden ;  but  having  no  inclination  for  a  re- 
newal of  the  organ-loft  scene,  he  turned  towards  a  row  of 
clumsy,  flat-bottomed  boats,  sprung  into  one  of  them,  and  in 
a  few  minutes  was  far  out  in  the  lake,  where  he  quietly 
leaned  on  his  oars,  and  began  to  look  about  him. 

Seon  was  originally  built  upon  an  island  and  received  its 
name  from  this  circumstance,  as  is  quaintly  enough  re- 
corded in  the  Introductio  ad  Annates  Monasterii  Seonentis, 
of  Benonne  Feichtmaejr,  Ejusdem  Monasterii  Professor — 
"  When  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in 
the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his 

a* 


30  THE  INITIALS, 

heart  was  only  evil  continually,  he  threatened  the  earth  with 
destruction  ;  and  said  unto  Noah,  '  Make  thee  an  ark,'  etc., 
etc.,  etc.  So  our  blessed  founder,  Ariho,  seeing  in  what  un- 
righteousness mankind  had  again  fallen,  resolved  also  to 
build  an  ark,  and  to  receive  into  it  not  only  his  own  house- 
hold, but  all  others  who  were  willing  to  quit  the  wickedness 
of  the  world  and  save  themselves  from  the  deluge  of  sin. 
Accordingly  he  changed  his  castle  called  Buergel  into  a 
monastery  under  the  seal  of  the  holy  patriarch  Benedictus, 
and  recommended  the  same  to  the  protection  of  the  holy 
martyr  Lambertus.  The  monastery  was  then  named  Seon, 
as  the  letters  composing  this  word  being  reversed  form  the 
name  of  Noes  (Noah) ;  and  the  monastery  representing  the 
ark  appeared  to  float  in  the  midst  of  the  lake,  a  place  of 
refuge  for  all  willing  to  seek  it." 

Of  the  original  building  of  994  nothing  remains  but  the 
church,  now  converted  into  a  cellar,  and  the  cloisters, — the 
other  parts  having  been  consumed  by  fire  in  the  year  1561. 
In  the  course  of  time,  however,  and  even  before  the  secu- 
larisation of  the  monastery,  it  had  been  found  convenient  to 
connect  Seon  with  the  mainland  by  means  of  a  road,  over 
which  Hamilton  must  have  driven  the  evening  before.  And 
now,  when  viewed  from  the  outside,  Seon  much  more  resem- 
bled a  middle-aged  German  castle  than  a  monastery.  This 
impression  it  made  on  Hamilton,  too,  as  he  watched  the 
numerous  groups  of  people  who  had  begun  to  enliven  with 
their  presence  the  pretty  garden  extending  from  it  to  the 
lake. 

Crescenz  and  her  sister  continued  to  walk  up  and  down, 
talking  earnestly,  and  so  often  bestowing  a  look  on  the 
"  overgrown  schoolboy,"  that  he  felt  convinced  he  was  the 
subject  of  discourse.  Their  brothers  soon  after  joined  them, 
and  a  very  outrageous  game  of  romps  ensued  between  them 
and  Crescenz.  Hildegarde  still  turned  towards  the  lake,  her 
eyes  fixed  on  him  and  his  boat.  "  Perhaps,"  he  thought, 
with  the  vanity  inherent  to  very  young  men — "  perhaps  she 
regrets  her  rudeness  to  me  last  night.  I  like  her  all  the 
better  for  not  playing  with  those  unmannerly  boys  ;  and  at 
supper,  too,  I  observed  that,  although  strongly  resembling 
her  sister,  she  is  infinitely  handsomer  !"  He  rowed  to  the 
landing-place,  moored  the  boat,  and  approached  her  quietly ; 
but  it  did  not  require  long  to  convince  him  that  he  had  not 


THE  INITIALS.  31 

been  in  the  least  degree  an  object  of  interest  to  her,  for  she 
still  gazed  on  the  lake,  though  his  bark  no  longer  floated  on 
its  surface,  and  not  even  the  sound  of  his  voice  when  he 
spoke  to  her  sister  could  induce  her  to  turn  round.  He 
looked  at  his  watch,  and  found  that  by  the  time  he  had 
breakfasted  he  might  prepare  to  visit  A.  Z. — that  is,  learn 
what  chance  he  had  of  making  a  useful  or  agreeable  ac- 
quaintance. He  inquired  for  the  landlady,  and  found  her  in 
the  kitchen  sending  forth  detachments  of  coffee  and  rolls  to 
the  garden.  To  his  great  surprise  and  pleasure,  she  ordered 
his  breakfast  to  be  carried  to  the  arbour,  where  the  Countess 
Zedwitz  and  her  daughter  were  breakfasting,  saying  it  was 
the  only  place  unengaged  in  the  whole  garden.  With  mixed 
feelings  of  anxiety  and  curiosity  he  followed.  While  it  was 
being  deposited  on  the  table,  he  observed  that  a  question 
was  asked  by  a  comfortable-looking  dowager,  and  the  answer 
seemed  satisfactory,  for  she  nodded  her  head  and  then  looked 
towards  him.  He  bowed,  and  was  received  with  a  good- 
humoured  smile.  "  She  knows  me,"  he  thought,  "  and  this 
is  A.  Z."  It  did  not,  in  fact,  signify — but — he  would  have 
preferred  the  daughter,  who,  although  not  in  the  least  pretty, 
had  a  merry  expression  of  countenance,  and  looked  so  fresh 
that  he  involuntarily  thought  of  the  tub  of  cold  water  out 
of  which  she  had  probably  sprung  half  an  hour  before. 

"  I  fear,  madame,  you  will  think  me  an  intruder,"  he 
began,  with  an  affection  of  diffidence  which  he  was  far  from 
feeling. 

"  Oh,  by  no  mean,"  cried  the  elder  lady,  in  English,  nod- 
ding her  head  two  or  three  times  ;  "  by  no  mean  !  You  are 
an  Englishman  ;  I  am  very  glad  to  have  occasion  to  spick 
English.  Man  lose  all  practice  in  both  !  I  estimate  me  very 
happy  to  make  acquaintance  with  you." 

Hamilton  assured  her  he  felt  extremely  obliged — hoped, 
however,  to  prove  that  he  had  a  better  claim  to  her  notice 
than  his  being  an  Englishman.  This  she  did  not  compre- 
hend, for,  like  most  Germans  who  are  learning  English,  she 
seldom  understood  when  spoken  to,  and  preferred  continuing 
to  talk  herself  to  waiting  or  asking  for  an  answer  in  a  lan- 
guage which  she  knew  by  sight  but  not  by  sound.  Accord- 
ingly, "  We  have  a  very  fine  nature  here  !"  was  the  reply  he 
received  to  an  observation  which  he  had  intended  to  have 
led  to  an  interesting  discovery  of  his  being  the  son  of  her 


32  THE  INITIALS. 

Munich  correspondent,  "  We  have  a  very  fine  nature 
here !" 

Hamilton  looked  puzzled,  or  she  thought  hirn  a  little  deaf, 
for  she  spoke  louder  as  she  said,  "  Avery  beautiful  nature  !" 

He  bowed,  and  coloured  slightly. 

•  Mamma  will  say,  our  prospects  are  very  good,"  said  the 
younger  lady,  in  explanation. 

"  Ha  ! — prospects  !"  he  repeated. 

"  What  you  call  lanskip — paysage  ?  Is  not  good  English  ? 
No?" 

"  Oh,  very  good  English,"  he  answered,  looking  round  him, 
prepared  to  admire  anything  or  everything  he  could  see. 
Now,  they  were  in  an  arbour  thickly  covered  with  foliage  in 
order  to  render  it  impervious  to  the  sun's  rays,  and  the  en- 
trance being  from  the  garden,  there  was  no  view  whatever 
deserving  the  name  of  prospect,  Hamilton  knew  not  what 
to  say,  and  was  beginning  to  feel  embarrassed,  when  the 
Rosenbergs  luckily  appeared  and  made  a  diversion  in  his 
favour.  Crescenz  and  her  sister  advanced  to  meet  their  step- 
mother, who  now  entered  the  garden  dressed  in  a  most  un- 
becoming dark-coloured  cotton  morning-gown  partly  covered 
by  an  old  shawl  thrown  negligently  over  her  shoulders,  and 
her  hair  still  twisted  round  those  odious  leather  things  used 
for  curling  refractory  ringlets. 

"  Who  is  that  ?"  asked  the  Countess,  to  his  great  relief 
speaking  German.     "  Who  is  that  person?" 

"  I  believe  her  name  is  Rosenberg,"  he  answered ;  "  she 
came  from  Munich  yesterday." 

"  Ah,  I  know.  That  is  the  person  who  screamed  in  the 
gallery  last  night." 

"  No,  mamma,  it  was  one  of  her  daughters  who  screamed." 

"  Oh,  one  of  her  daughters  !  They  are  very  pretty,"  said 
the  Countess,  raising  her  double  lorgnette  to  her  eyes — "  really 
very  pretty !  and  I  think  I  have  seen  them  somewhere  before, 
but  where  I  cannot  recollect " 

"  Oh,  mamma,  I  know  where  you  have  seen  them  ;  they 
were  in  the  same  school  with  my  cousin  Therese,  and  we  saw 
them  at  the  examinations  last  year.  Don't  you  remember 
the  two  sisters  who  were  so  like  each  other  ?    And  as  we  drove 

home  with  the  Princess  N ,  she  said  that  one  of  them 

was  the  handsomest  creature  she  had  ever  seen !  I  think, 
too,  she  said  she  had  known  their  mother !" 


THE  INITIALS.  33 

"  Not  that  person  in  the  odious  dishabille !  You  are 
dreaming,  child !" 

"  No,  no — their  mother  was  noble — she  was  a  Raimond, 
had  no  fortune,  and  married  a  nobody,  when  she  was  old 
enough  to  have  been  wiser ;  her  relations  never  forgave  her, 
but  after  her  death  they  offered  to  educate  these  two  girls  for 
governesses ;  their  father  would  not  part  with  them  ;  but 
when  he  afterwards  married  a  rich  goldsmith's  daughter,  she 
immediately  insisted  on  his  sending  them  to  school." 

"  I  believe  I  do  remember  something  of  this — most  prob- 
ably a  sister  of  our  friend  Count  Raimond,  Agnes  ?" 

"  Mademoiselle's  name  is  Agnes,"  said  Hamilton,  quickly. 
"  Then,  perhaps,  you  are  the  person  who  was  so  kind  as  to 
write  me  the  letter  which — "  and  he  searched  in  his  pocket 
for  A.  Z.'s  letter. 

"  What ! — what  is  that  about  a  letter?"  asked  the  old  lady, 
hastily. 

"  Some  mistake,  mamma." 

"  But  he  says  you  wrote  to  him,  my  dear." 

"  No,  mamma,  I  did  not  write  to  him  ;  but  I  think  it  ex- 
tremely probable  that  papa  did.  1  know  he  wrote  lately  to  an 
Englishman  in  Munich.  He  will  be  glad  to  see  you,  I  am  sure," 
she  added,  turning  to  Hamilton ;  "  for  although  he  speaks 
English  very  tolerably,  he  finds  writing  it  extremely  difficult ; 
and  the  little  note  in  question  occupied  him  nearly  an  hour. 
When  you  have  breakfasted,  I  can  go  with  you  to  his  room." 

Hamilton  pushed  away  his  coffee-cup,  and  stood  up  di- 
rectly. 

"  Agnes,  Agnes !"  cried  her  mother  gravely,  "  you  know 
your  father  is  sweating  !" 

"  Yes,  mamma,  I  know  ;  but  papa  wishes  very  much  to  see 
his  English  correspondent.  You  have,  probably,  just  re- 
turned from  Graefenberg  ?"  she  said,  addressing  Hamilton. 
"  Have  you  no  letter  from  Preissnitz?" 

"  Letters  from  Preissnitz  !  I  have  no  letter  except  that 
which  I  received  the  day  before  yesterday  from  Count  Zed- 
witz." 

"  You  wish,  perhaps,  to  speak  to  papa  before  you  decide  on 
going  to  Graefenberg?" 

"  I — I  have  no  intention  whatever  of  going  there,  mad- 
emoiselle," said  Hamilton,  who  did  not  exactly  know  who 
Preissnitz  was,  or  where  Graefenberg  might  be  situated  ;  for 


34  THE  INITIALS. 

ten  years  ago,  Preissnitz's  name  was  little  known  in  Germany, 
and  scarcely  at  all  in  England. 

"  Well,  at  all  events,  you  had  better  speak  to  papa  :  I  know 
he  expects  to  see  you." 

"  If  that  be  the  case,"  said  Hamilton,  "  I  am  sure  I  shall 
be  very  happy  to  make  his  acquaintance — I  only  feared  the 
letter  might  have  been  intended  for  my  father,  as  he  has 
foreign  acquaintances,  and  I  have  as  yet  none." 

':  It  is  quite  the  same  thing,  I  should  think,"  said  the 
young  Countess,  as  she  led  the  way  out  of  the  garden.  "  You 
can  let  your  father  know  that  you  have  seen  us  here.  Papa 
was  only  sorry  that  he  could  not  receive  you  at  home ;  but 
our  house  is  not  at  present  habitable,  and " 

"  Ah !"  cried  Hamilton,  springing  up  the  stairs  after  her, 
"  that  is  exactly  what  he  said  in  his  letter." 

"  Wait  here  until  I  have  told  him  that  you  have  arrived," 
she  said,  tapping  gently  at  one  of  the  doors,  which  closed 
upon  her  immediately  afterwards. 

She  did  not  return,  but  a  tall,  gaunt  servant  appeared  to 
conduct  him  to  Count  Zedwitz's  apartment.  On  entering,  he 
perceived  that  a  figure  lay  on  a  bed,  but  so  wrapped  in  blank- 
ets and  covered  with  down  beds,  that  nothing  was  visible  but 
the  face,  down  which  the  perspiration  rolled  copiously.  A 
reading-desk  was  placed  on  the  breast,  and  a  long  quill, 
tightly  pressed  between  the  teeth,  served  to  turn  over  the 
leaves  of  his  book.  Hamilton  would  have  required  some 
time  to  discover  the  use  of  the  quill,  had  it  not  been  per- 
forming its  office  as  he  entered. 

"  I  am  rejoice  to  see  you — very  glad  you  have  become  my 
letter,  and  seem  to  profit  by  it.  You  are  good  on  the  feet 
again  ?" 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Hamilton,  rather  puzzled  by  this  ad- 
dress, and  half-disposed  to  refuse  the  chair  placed  for  him  by 
the  servant. 

"  You  have  been  to  Graefenberg  ? — No  ?" 

«  No." 

"  You  have  recover  without  Preissnitz  ?" 

"  Recover  !"  repeated  Hamilton  ;  "  I  have  never  been  seri- 
ously ill  in  my  life,  colds  and  all  that  sort  of  thing  excepted 
— mere  trifles,  after  all !" 

"  Trifles !  well,  you  Englishmen  have  odd  idea ! — Rheuma- 
tism is  trifle !" 


TEE  INITIALS.  35 

"  Gout  is  more  common  with  us,"  observed  Hamilton, 
somewhat  amused. 

"  Well,  gout,  chicagra,  podagra,  rheumatism,  what  you  will, 
is  no  trifle  at  all !     You  have  had  the  gout  ?" 

"  No;  but  I  suppose  I  shall  in  time  :  it  is  hereditary  in  our 
family — my  father  has  two  or  three  attacks  every  year." 

"  Your  father !  is  it  your  father  who  has  had  the  gout?" 

"  Yes,  and  I  suspect  my  father  is  your  correspondent,  too. 
I  really  fear  I  am  not  the  person  you  suppose  me  to  be." 

"  What !  what,  what  do  you  mean  ?"  he  cried,  endeavouring 
to  raise  himself  in  his  bed,  and  looking  precisely  like  a  writh- 
ing caddice-worm. 

"  I  mean  that  I  received  a  letter  the  day  before  yesterday, 
inviting  me  to  come  here  ;  the  seal  was  a  coronet,  and  it  was 
signed  A.  Z.  I  arrived  ;  made  inquiries,  and  too  hastily,  it 
seems,  concluded  that  Count  Zedwitz,  or  one  of  his  family, 
had  written  to  me.  Your  daughter  confirmed  me  in  my  error 
by  saying  that  you  had  lately  written  to  an  Englishman  in 
Munich,  and  wished  very  much  to  see  him." 

"  Hum,  ha  ! — very  odd  !"  murmured  the  Count,  fixing  his 
eyes  sharply  on  Hamilton.     "  May  I  ask  your  name?" 

"  Hamilton,"  replied  the  Englishman,  with  an  ill-concealed 
attempt  to  repress  an  inclination  to  laugh. 

"  I  have  not  the  honour  of  knowing  any  one  of  that  name," 
said  the  Count,  endeavouring,  as  well  as  his  blankets  would 
permit  him,  to  look  dignified.  "  I  am  surprised,  sir,  you  did 
not  perceive  the  mistake  sooner  !" 

"  So  am  I,"  replied  Hamilton,  his  rising  colour  betraying 
the  embarrassment  he  endeavoured  to  conceal ;  "  but  every 
moment  some  remark  of  yours  made  me  doubt  again  ;  be- 
sides," he  added,  moving  towards  the  door,  "  I  must  confess, 
I  wished  to  hear  something  of  this  water-cure,  which  is  quite 
new  to  me  ;  I  never  heard  of  it  until  yesterday.  However, 
I  am  extremely  sorry  for  having  forced  myself  upon  your 
acquaintance,  and  can  only  regret  that  my  correspondent  had 
not  written  his  name  in  full ;  from  these  initials,  it  seems,  I 
have  but  a  small  chance  of  discovering  the  writer !" 

"  I  don't  know  that,"  cried  Count  Zedwitz,  suddenly  chang- 
ing his  manner ;  "  it  is  by  no  means  improbable  that  the 
letter  is  from  Baron  Z. ;  his  wife  is  an  Englishwoman.  I 
should  recommend  your  seeing  them  before  you  give  up  your 
search.    And — and,"  he  added — hesitatingly — "  as  you  seem 


36  THE  INITIALS. 

interested  on  the  subject  of  hydropathy,  I  shall  have  great 
pleasure  in  lending  you  some  books  and  giving  you  every 
information  in  my  power  about  Preissnitz  and  Graefen- 
berg.  In  the  mean  time,  look  over  this  little  work — it  is  not 
necessary  to  be  a  physician  to  understand  it.  You  will  find 
here  a  description  of  Graefenberg,  the  establishment  of 
Preissnitz,  who  discovered  this  most  rational  mode  of  curing 
all  diseases ;  and,  T  doubt  not,  you  will  soon  be  convinced  of 
the  uselessness  of  physicians  and  apothecaries,  and  place,  as 
I  do,  all  your  reliance  on  cold  water.  Read  what  is  said 
about  perspiration,  cold  water  drinking,  and  bathing ;  read 
and  judge  for  yourself.     I  shall  see  you  at  dinner-time." 

Hamilton  received  the  book  with  expressions  of  gratitude 
which  were  really  sincere.  The  happy  termination  of  this 
interview  m?de  him  feel  that  he  had  gained  an  acquaint- 
ance, who  might,  perhaps,  turn  into  a  friend,  if  he  submitted 
to  the  ordeal  by  water. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A.    Z. 

As  Hamilton  was  on  his  way  to  his  room  to  procure  his 
credentials,  viz.,  A.  Z.'s  letter,  he  chanced  to  meet  one  of 
the  chambermaids,  who  offered  to  conduct  him  to  Baron 
Z 's  apartment.  To  prevent  the  necessity  of  an  explana- 
tion,  he  sent  her  before  with  one   of  his   cards,   and  she 

returned    almost    immediately,   saying   that    Baron    Z 

would  be  very  happy  to  see  him,  and  begged  he  would  come 
to  him  as  soon  as  possible.  Hamilton  immediately  obeyed 
the  summons,  and  found  himself  in  presence  of  the  traveller 
with  the  long  rifle.  In  the  middle  of  a  large  room  was  a 
round  table  completely  covered  with  shooting  implements, 

beside  which   stood  Baron  Z ,  examining  the  identical 

rifle  which  he  had  pointed  upwards  the  evening  before.  He 
advanced  towards  Hamilton  with  great  cordiality,  extended 
his  hand,  and  exclaimed  in  English : 

"  Mr.  Hamilton,  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you ;  my  wife  and 
I  have  been  anxiously  awaiting  your  arrival;  for  we  are 


A.  Z.  37 

obliged  to  leave  Seon  after  dinner  to-day,  to  go  to  Berchtes- 
gaden.  Now  all  is  quite  easy  to  arrange — you  go  with  us — 
you  admire  the  beautiful  mountains — you  see  the  salt  mines, 
and  then  we  arrange  an  Alp-party  or  a  chamois-hunt  together. 
Are  you  a  good  shot?" 

"  No,  I  regret  to  say  I  am  not,"  answered  Hamilton,  not 
a  little  embarrassed,  for  his  deficiency  in  this  respect  had 
furnished  his  brother  John,  greatly  his  inferior  in  other 
respects,  with  unceasing  subject  for  ridicule;  and  he  half- 
expected  some  scoffing  remark  in  answer. 

"  You  like  to  fish,  or  hunt  on  horseback,  better  than 
chamois-hunt,  perhaps  ?" 

Hamilton  acknowledged,  much  relieved,  that  he  was  very 
fond  of  a  hunt  on  horseback ;  he  could  ride,  he  said,  much 
better  than  he  could  shoot. 

"  And  I,"  answered  Baron  Z ,  good-humouredly  laugh- 
ing, "  I  can  shoot  better  than  I  can  ride.  I  thought  it  would 
be  interesting  for  you  to  be  acquainted  with  our  sports, 
and " 

"  It  would  interest  me  of  all  things  to  see  anything  of  the 
kind,  even  as  a  mere  spectator,"  exclaimed  Hamilton,  eagerly. 
"  I  accept  your  invitation  with  many  thanks." 

Baron  Z now  desired  his  servant  to  let  his  wife  know 

that  "  Mr.  Hamilton,  the  Englishman  she  expected,  had 
arrived.  And  Joseph,"  he  called  after  him,  "  take  one  of  the 
carriage-boxes  to  Mr.  Hamilton's  room  ;  he  goes  with  us  to 
Berchtesgaden." 

They  were  in  the  midst  of  a  very  animated  discussion  of 
what  Hamilton  knew  very  little  about,  viz.,  the  latest 
improvements  in  fire-arms,  when  the  real  A.  Z.  entered  the 
room.  How  shall  we  describe  her  ?  Most  easily,  perhaps, 
by  negatives.  She  was  not  tall  nor  short,  nor  stout  nor  thin, 
nor  handsome  nor  ugly,  nor — nor — in  fact,  as  well  as  Hamil- 
ton could  define  his  ideas  at  such  a  critical  moment,  he 
thought  the  impression  made  on  him  was,  that  a  pale,  dark- 
haired  person  stood  before  him,  whose  countenance  denoted 
sufficient  intellect  to  make  him  conscious  that  he  had  better 
produce  his  letter  and  enter  into  an  explanation  at  once. 
The  absence  of  all  recognition  on  her  part  made  him  at  once 
conscious  that  he  was  not  the  person  she  had  expected,  and 
he  stood  before  her  blushing  so  intensely  that  she  seemed  to 
feel  at  length  a  sort  of  commiseration  for  him.    She  bit  her 

4 


38  THE  INITIALS. 

lip  to  conceal  a  smile,  and  after  a  moment's  pause,  held  out 
her  hand,  saying,  "  I  confess  I  expected  to  have  seen  your 
father,  and  am  a  little  disappointed.  You  were  such  a  mere 
child  when  I  saw  you  last.  John,  that  you  have  completely 
outgrown  my  recollection.  You  promised,  indeed,  to  be 
'more  than  common  tall,'  but  I  was  not  prepared  for  such  a 

specimen  of You  seem   to  be  an  inveterate  blusher, 

and  very  shy  ;  perhaps  that  was  the  reason  your  father 
wished  to  send  you  abroad  before  you  joined  your  regiment? 
By-the-by,  I  must  have  been  misinformed,  but  I  heard  you 
had  already  joined  !  Now,  pray  don't  waste  another  blush 
on  me,  but  try  to  feel  at  home  as  soon  as  you  can,  and  pre- 
pare to  tell  me  directly  everything  about  everybody !" 

Hamilton  moved  mechanically  towards  the  sofa,  completely 
confused  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  but  at  the  same  time 
greatly  relieved  in  his  mind.  So,  after  all,  the  letter  had 
been  intended  for  his  father,  and  she  merely  mistook  him  for 
his  brother  John — a  common  mistake,  which  he  could  easily 
explain.  What  a  fool  he  would  have  been  had  he  not  come 
in  person  to  inquire  about  this  "  A.  Z.,"  who  was  evidently 
an  old  friend  of  his  father.  He  began  to  breathe  more  freely, 
and  overheard  a  few  words  which  she  addressed  to  her  hus- 
band in  a  very  low  voice,  in  German  :  "  Did  you  ever  see 
such  a  long-legged,  bashful  animal  ?  He  is,  however,  hand- 
some, and  would  be  decidedly  gentlemanlike  if  he  were  less 
diffident.  We  must  take  him  with  us  to  Berchtesgaden 
Herrmann." 

"  I  have  already  arranged  everything,"  he  answered, 
nodding  his  head.  "  He  wishes  to  see  a  chamois-hunt,  and 
he  shall,  if  I  can  manage  it ;  at  all  events,  he  may  stretch 
his  long  legs  on  one  of  our  mountains." 

"  Are  you  a  sportsman  ?"  she  asked  in  English,  turning 
towards  Hamilton,  and  seating  herself  on  the  sofa. 

"  Not  the  least  in  the  world,  as  far  as  shooting  is  con- 
cerned," he  answered,  stooping  to  arrange  her  footstool,  and 
feeling  once  more  unembarrassed,  "  but  I  should  like 
extremely  to  see  a  chamois-hunt." 

"  If  you  are  not  what  is  called  a  good  shot,"  said  A.  Z., 
"  I  should  recommend  the  ascent  of  a  mountain  or  alp 
instead  of  a  chamois-hunt,  which  is  very  fatiguing,  and  I 
should  think  must  be  uninteresting  to  a  person  who  cannot 
shoot  remarkably  well." 


A.  Z.  39 

"  Anything  that  is  new  or  national  will  be  acceptable  to 
me,"  answered  Hamilton.  "  I  am  anxious  to  profit  by  my 
residence  in  Germany,  and  see  and  hear  as  much  as  possible  ; 
most  particularly,  I  wish  to  become  acquainted  with  some 
German  family,  in  order  to  see  the  interior  of  their  houses, 
and  learn  their  domestic  habits." 

While  he  had  been  speaking,  A.  Z.  had  bent  over  a  small 
work-box,  with  the  contents  of  which  she  absently  played. 
She  now  looked  up,  and  repeated  his  last  words :  "  Domestic 
habits !  Does  that  interest  you  ? — But  I  had  almost  for- 
gotten ;  your  father  wrote  to  me  on  that  subject,  and  I  had 
very  nearly  entered  into  an  engagement  for  you  with  a 
family  of  Munich." 

"  How  very  odd  !"  exclaimed  Hamilton.  "  My  father 
never  mentioned  a  word  of  anything  of  the  kind  to  me ;  I 
do  not  think  even  my  mother  was  acquainted  with  this  plan." 

"  You  are  mistaken.  She  referred  to  it  in  the  only  letter 
I  have  received  from  her  for  years.  Indeed,  I  began  to 
think,  as  my  last  letter  had  remained  so  long  unanswered, 
that  I  was  quite  forgotten  by  you  all,  and  the  letter  which 
you  received  in  Munich  was  sent  on  chance.  I  purposely 
wrote  in  general  terms,  and  signed  with  my  initials,  knowing 
that  either  your  father  or  mother  would  recognise  the  hand- 
writing, and  you,  or  one  of  your  brothers  would  have  no 
difficulty  in  filling  the  blank  and  be  glad  to  have  our 
address." 

"  I  assure  you,  however,  I  was  extremely  puzzled  when  I 
received  your  letter  ;  nor  can  I  conceive  why  my  father  made 
such  a  secret  of  an  arrangement  which  naturally  interests  me 
so  much.  He  seemed  indifferent  whether  I  passed  next 
winter  in  Munich  or  Vienna,  and  left  me  perfectly  free  to 
choose  which  I  preferred." 

"  Perhaps  because  he  knew  that  I  had  left  Munich." 

"  But  he  never  spoke  of  any  German  friend  or  acquaint- 
ance in  the  least  resembling  you !  He  never,  I  am  sure, 
mentioned  your  name !" 

"  It  seems,  then,  I  am  quite  forgotten  ;  but,  as  I  have 
expatriated  myself,  I  have  no  right  to  complain,  and  it  would 
be  unreasonable  to  expect  people  to  remember  me  now,  or 
speak  of  me  to  their  children.  Nevertheless,  I  cannot  forget 
that  I  have  experienced  much  kindness  from  your  father  and 
mother  in  former  times,  and  that  I  have  spent  months  in 


40  THE  INITIALS. 

their  house  when  you  were  at  school.  I  shall  he  very  glad 
if  I  can  in  any  way  be  of  use  to  you." 

"  Thank  you.  I  cannot  imagine  what  motive  my  father 
could  have  had  for  secrecy  and  mystery  on  this  occasion," 
said  Hamilton,  musingly.  "  The  idea  is  excellent,  if  I  could 
only  put  it  in  practice.  Perhaps  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to 
give  me  your  advice  and  assistance  ?" 

"  Most  willingly ;  and  I  shall  begin  by  giving  you  my 
advice  to  wait  until  you  know  something  about  your  com- 
mission before  you  negotiate  with  any  family  whatever." 

"  I  am  not  going  into  the  army — my  uncle  will  not  allow 
me  to  go  to  India,  so  my  father  intends  me  to  try  my  fortune 
in  the  diplomatic  line,  and  my  principal  object  is  to  perfect 
myself  in  speaking  German.  A  respectable  family,  could 
one  be  found  willing  to  receive  me,  would  answer  all  my 
purposes  and  fulfil  all  my  wishes." 

"  A  diplomat !  Then  you  must  endeavour  to  conquer  the 
mauvaise  honte  with  which  you  seem  overpowered  when 
speaking  to  strangers,  or  it  will  never  do.  You  are  now 
natural  and  at  your  ease,  and  I  tell  you  honestly,  I  can 
scarcely  imagine  you  to  be  the  same  person  who  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  ago  stood  before  me,  blushing  and  squeezing  his  hat 
as  if  in  an  agony  of  embarrassment?" 

"  And  I  was  in  an  agony  of  embarrassment,"  answered 
Hamilton,  laughing.  "  I  perceived  when  you  entered  the 
room  that  you  did  not  know  me.  I  fancied  that,  perhaps,  you 
had  not  written  this  letter ;  or,  that  it  was  not  intended  for 
me  nor  for  my  father ;  and  as  I  had  already  had  one  scene 
about  it  this  morning,  I  had  no  wish  for  another,  fearing  that 
a  denouement  with  you  might  not  prove  so  amusing  as  with 
old  Count  Zedwitz." 

Hamilton  now  gave  a  short  account  of  that  little  adven- 
ture, which  amused  her  so  much  that  she  related  it  in 
German  to  her  husband  before  he  left  the  room.  There  was 
something  in  A.  Z.'s  manner  towards  him  which  peculiarly 
invited  confidence;  a  sort  of  mixture  of  friend  and  relation. 
She  appeared  so  interested  in  all  his  plans,  understood  so 
exactly  what  he  meant,  without  asking  unnecessary  ques- 
tions, that  before  half  an  hour  had  elapsed  he  had  confided 
to  her  his  intention  of  writing  a  book  !  She  exhibited  no 
sort  of  astonishment  at  the  monstrous  idea  ;  he  could  not 
even  detect  a  particle  of  ridicule  in  her  smile  as  she  approved 


A.  Z  41 

of  his  intention ;  hoped  he  had  taken  notes,  and  asked  him 
what  was  to  be  the  subject  of  his  work. 

" '  Germany,  and  the  Domestic  Manners  of  the  Germans,' 
or  something  of  that  sort." 

"  I  hope,  however,  you  speak  German  well  enough  to 
understand  and  join  in  general  conversation,  and  to  ask 
questions  and  obtain  information,  if  necessary  ?  It  is  un- 
pardonable, people  writing  about  the  inhabitants  of  a  coun- 
try when  they  are  incapable  of  conversing  with  them." 

"  I  understand  it  perfectly  when  it  is  spoken,  and  I  gen- 
erally contrive  to  make  myself  intelligible." 

"  A  little  more  than  that  is  necessary ;  but,  perhaps,  you 
are  too  modest  to  boast  of  your  proficiency." 

"  I  scarcely  deserve  to  be  called  modest,  although  I  am 
subject  to  occasional  fits  of  diffidence.  I  believe  I  speak 
German  with  tolerable -fluency,  and  only  want  opportunities 
of  hearing  and  seeing.  May  I  ask  the  name  of  the  family 
with  whom  you  were  in  treaty?" 

"  I  heard  of  two  families,  either  of  them  would  have 
answered  ;  but" — she  hesitated. 

"But  what?" 

"  After  everything  had  been  arranged,  and  I  was  on  the 
point  of  writing  to  your  father,  I  found  that  only  one  mem- 
ber of  the  family  wished  for  you,  and  that  was  the  person 
who  on  such  an  occasion  was  of  the  least  importance.  I 
mean  the  gentleman.  He  wished  for  your  society  to  have 
an  opportunity  of  speaking  English,  but  as  he  spent  the 
greater  part  of  the  day  in  his  office,  and  went  out  every 
evening,  you  would  naturally  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of  his 
wife  ;  and,  although  I  praised  you  as  much  as  I  could  with- 
out knowing  how  you  had  grown  up,  she  told  me  plainly 
that  she  should  consider  you  a  bore,  and  that  I  could  not 
oblige  her  more  than  by  breaking  off  our  negotiations. 
Under  such  circumstances  I  had  no  choice." 

"  And  the  other  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  The  other  was  a  professor  at  the  university.  I  wrote  to 
your  father  about  him,  but  never  received  any  answer." 

"  A  professor  !  that  does  not  promise  much,  nor  would  it 
answer  my  purpose.  I  should  see  little  or  nothing  of 
domestic  life." 

"  You  are  mistaken  ;  I  was  half  afraid  you  might  see  too 
much,  for  he  had  a  wife  and  five  sons." 

4* 


42  THE  INITIALS. 

54  Did  his  wife  enter  no  protest  ?" 

"  I  did  not  see  her ;  but  as  they  were  not  rich,  and  had 
already  five  young  persons  in  their  house,  I  concluded  one 
more  or  less  could  make  little  difference." 

"  But  a — if  another  family  could  be  found,  I  must  say 
I  should  prefer  it,  and  would  rather  not  apply  to  the  pro- 
fessor, excepting  as  a  last  resource." 

"  We  have  no  longer  the  option,  for  he  has  left  Munich. 
I  heard,  indeed,  of  another  family — but  the  objections  were 
insurmountable." 

"  On  the  part  of  husband  or  wife  ?" 

"  This  time  the  objections  were  on  my  side  ;  there  were 
unmarried  daughters  in  the  house." 

"  Oh,  that  would  be  no  objection  at  all — on  the  con- 
trary  " 

"I  considered  it  a  very  serious  objection,"  said  A.  Z., 
quietly. 

"  I  understand  what  you  mean ;  but  surely  you  do  not 
think  me  such  a  fool  as  to  fall  in  love  with  every  girl  I 
happen  to  live  in  the  house  with  ?  I  assure  you  I  am  by  no 
means  so  inflammable." 

"  Very  possibly ;  but  as  I  could  not  answer  for  your  not 
being  inflammatory,  and  am  aware  that  German  girls  do  not 
understand  the  word  '  flirtation,'  and  are  much  too  serious  on 
such  occasions,  I  thought  it  better  to  avoid  leading  you  into 
temptation.  Do  not,  however,  be  vexed  ;  I  have  many  friends 
in  Munich,  and  have  no  doubt  of  being  able  to  find  some 
family " 

"  Where  there  are  five  unlicked  cubs  in  the  house,"  cried 
Hamilton,  petulantly,  interrupting  her. 

"  Then,  John,  you  will  make  the  half-dozen  complete," 
she  answered,  laughing.  "  But  now  listen  to  reason.  A 
family  who  wou]d  consent  to  receive  a  young  man  as  inmate 
in  their  house,  and  who,  without  any  degree  of  relationship 
or  connection  with  his  family,  could  enter  into  pecuniary 
arrangements  with  him  about  board  and  lodging,  and  all 
that  sort  of  thing,  must  either  be  in  straitened  circumstances 
or  in  a  much  lower  rank  of  life  than  your's.  I  acknowledge 
that  such  arrangements  are  common  here,  and  in  some  cases 
they  are  very  judicious;  but  when  the  proposal,  as  in  this 
instance,  came  from  a  widow  with  three  unmarried  daughters, 
I  found   it  very  injudicious,  indeed,  and  refused   at  once. 


A.  Z.  43 

Without  thinking  you  either  a  fool,  or  disposed  to  fall  in 
love  with  every  girl  you  happen  to  reside  with,  I  do  think 
there  is  some  danger  of  your  forming  an  attachment  which 
might  cause  you,  and  perhaps  another  person,  great  pain  to 
break  off,  or  which  might  hereafter  prove  embarrassing. 
Living  in  the  house  with  three  girls,  who  very  probably 
would  vie  with  each  other  in  their  endeavours  to  please  you 
would  be  a  severe  trial  for  the  impenetrability  of  so  very 
young  a  man  as  you  are,  and  I  doubt  your  standing  the 
test." 

"  But  I  assure  you " 

"  No  doubt  you  will  assure  me  that  you  have  a  heart  of 
stone,  and  that  at  all  events  nothing  could  induce  you  to 
form  a  connection  with  a  person  beneath  you  in  rank,  un- 
worthy the  name  of  Hamilton,  or  who  would  be  displeasing 
to  your  father ;  but  as  you  have  had  the  good  fortune  to  be 
the  firstborn,  and  consequently  will  inherit " 

"  Pardon  me  for  interrupting  you,  but  I  really  must  set 
you  right  on  that  point — I  am  only  number  two." 

"  What,  are  you  not  John  ?"  she  asked,  hastily. 

"  Had  my  name  been  John,  I  should  not  have  opened  your 
letter ;  it  was  directed  to " 

"  To  Archibald  Hamilton " 


"  Excuse  me ;  the  address  was  to  A.  Hamilton,  Esq.,  Gol- 
denen  Hirsch,  and " 

"  True,  I  ought  to  have  thought  of  that  before,"  she  said, 
mustering  him  from  head  to  foot,  while  he  began  to  feel  some 
very  uncomfortable  misgivings.  "  Is  it — no,  it  is  not  possi- 
ble that  you  are  little  Archy?" 

"  I  am  not  little  Archy,"  cried  Hamilton,  starting  from  his 
seat,  and  instinctively  looking  towards  the  door. 

"  Then,  pray,  may  I  ask  what  is  your  name  ?"  she  said, 
leaning  her  arm  on  the  table,  and  fixing  her  eves  on  his  face 
with  a  look  of  cool  deliberation  which  completely  deprived 
him  of  all  remaining  self-possession. 

"  Alfred — Alfred  Hamilton  is  my  name,"  he  cried,  in  a 
voice  which  he  could  scarcely  recognise  to  be  his  own  ;  and 
unable  any  longer  to  endure  so  unpleasant  a  situation,  he 
seized  his  hat,  and  a  pair  of  gloves,  which  he  afterwards 
found  belonged  to  her,  and  rushed  like  a  madman  out  of  the 
room.  He  heard,  or  thought  he  heard,  a  stifled  laugh — no 
matter — she  might  laugh  if  she  pleased,  he  would  laugh,  too, 


44  THE  INITIALS. 

and  he  attempted  it  on  reaching  his  room,  but  the  effort 
proved  totally  abortive ;  and  after  gasping  once  or  twice  for 
breath,  he  commenced  striding  up  and  down  the  room,  talk- 
ing angrily  to  himself.  "  This  is  too  much  !  1  certainly  did 
not  deserve  such  annoyance  !  Could  I  do  more  to  prevent 
mistakes  than  send  my  card  and  show  the  letter  ?  The  dis- 
appointment, too  !  I  rather  took  a  fancy  to  this  A.  Z.  ;  had 
even  persuaded  myself  that  I  remembered  having  seen  her 
when  I  was  a  child  !  Pshaw !  after  all,  she  must  be  an  art- 
ful person.  That  sort  of  motherly,  good-natured  manner, 
was  all  affectation  to  draw  me  out ;  and  what  a  precious  fool 
I  have  made  of  myself,  telling  her  all  my  intentions !  Of 
course,  she  and  her  husband  will  laugh  at  me  unmercifully, 
and  tell  everyone  in  the  house.  I  must  leave  Seon  directly 
— I — but  no,  she  was  not  artful !  What  on  earth  could  be 
her  motive  ?  No,  I  was  altogether  to  blame  myself,  or  rather 
that  letter — the  letter,  the  odious  letter  was  the  cause  of  all !" 
and  he  tore  it  angrily  to  atoms.  At  all  events,  this  should 
be  a  lesson  to  him  ;  he  never  would  place  himself  in  such  a 
position  again  as  long  as  he  lived. 

At  twelve  o'clock  the  great  bell  tolled,  and  Hamilton  knew 
it  was  time  to  descend  to  dinner.  He  was  busily  employed 
writing,  when  some  one  knocked  loudly  at  the  door.  "  Come 
in,"  he  cried,  collecting  the  papers  scattered  about  him,  and 

Baron  Z entered  the  room.     He  burst  into  a  violent  fit 

of  laughter  on  seeing  Hamilton's  dolorous  countenance, 
shook  him  heartily  by  the  hand,  and  assured  him  he  thought 
him  a  capital  fellow,  and  had  not  the  smallest  doubt  that  he 
would  make  an  excellent  diplomat. 

"  But,  indeed,  Baron  Z ,  I   never  meant — You   must 

not  think  I  intentionally " 

"  Don't  explain — pray,  don't  explain — I  am  so  obliged  to 
you  !  My  wife  thinks  herself  clever  !  She  write  what  she 
call  '  general  terms.'  Ha  !  ha  !  ha  !  And  when  she  explain 
to  me  what  meant '  general  terms,'  I  told  to  her  that  pass  for 
our  Mr.  Hamilton  so  good  as  another — but  she  always  think 
herself  so  clever !" 

"  I  am  extremely  distressed — disappointed,  I  must  say,  at 
the  frustration  of  all  my  hopes.  I  entreat  you  to  apologise 
for  me — I  leave  Seon  as  soon  as  possible  after  dinner " 

"  Yes ;  we  leave  Seon  as  soon  as  possible.  I  send  Joseph 
to  pack  for  you  while  we  go  to  dinner." 


A   WALK  OF  NO  COMMON  DESCRIPTION         45 

"  Am  I  to  understand  that  you  renew  your  invitation  to 
me  after  what  has  occurred?"  asked  Hamilton,  with  a  feel- 
ing of  inexpressible  pleasure. 

"  And  why  not  ?  My  wife  write  and  I  invite  in  general 
terms ;  and  now,  Mr.  A.  Hamilton,  Esquire,  let  us  go  to  din- 
ner." 

"  I  should  wish  beforehand  to  explain " 

"  To  my  wife  ?  Oh,  very  well ;  we  call  for  her  on  the 
way." 

"  Here,"  he  cried,  throwing  wide  open  the  door  of  her 
apartment,  "  here  I  come  to  present  my  friend,  Mr.  A.  Hamil- 
ton, Esquire  ;  he  wish  in  general  terms  to  explain  to  you,  and 
to  kiss  your  hand." 

"  The  latter  part  of  your  speech  is  composed,  Herrmann," 
she  answered,  laughing.  "  Mr.  Hamilton  does  not  yet  know 
enough  of  the  '  domestic  manners  of  the  Germans'  to  be 
aware  that  kissing  a  lady's  hand  is  a  very  common  action. 
Here  is  my  hand  —it  is  not,  however,  worth  while  blushing 
about  it,"  she  added,  drawing  it  back  again ;  "  and  Herr- 
mann shall  be  your  deputy.  It  would  be  difficult  to  bring  a 
perceptible  addition  of  colour  to  that  sunburnt  face." 

He  took  both  of  her  hands,  and,  as  he  pressed  them  to  his 
lips,  declared  he  was  very  content  to  have  such  a  clever  wife  ! 


CHAPTER   IV. 

A   WALK   OF   NO   COMMON   DESCRIPTION. 

"  Do  you  smoke,  Mr.  Hamilton  ?"  asked  Baron  Z ,  as 

he  assisted  his  wife  into  the  carriage. 

"  I  rather  like  a  cigar  sometimes." 

"  I  merely  wish  to  explain  to  you,  that  if  you  wish  to 
smoke  now,  you  had  better  mount  up  here,"  he  said,  seating 
himself  on  the  front  seat  of  the  carriage.  "  My  wife  is 
quite  German  in  every  respect,  but  she  has  not  yet  learned 
to  like  the  smell  of  tobacco." 

"  Nor  ever  will,"  said  A.  Z. ;  "  nor  shall  I  ever  learn  to 
like  having  guns  so  near  me.  Why  are  they  not  packed,  as 
usual,  in  the  long  case?" 


46  THE  INITIALS. 

"  You  forget  you  have  changed  all  arrangements  since  you 

find  that  Mr.  Hamilton  is  called  Alfred,"  said  Baron  Z , 

laughing. 

"  I  only  hope  they  are  not  loaded,"  she  said,  carefully 
avoiding  their  contact,  even  with  the  hem  of  her  garment, 
"  for  I  have  no  fancy  whatever  to  have  my  death  an- 
nounced in  the  newspapers,  after  the  words,  '  dreadful  acci- 
dent !'  " 

"  They  are  not  loaded,"  said  her  husband,  puffing  strongly 
from  his  newly-lighted  cigar,  as  they  drove  off. 

Hamilton  was  extremely  amused  at  his  comical  situation, 
or  rather  at  the  events  which  had  led  to  it,  and  after  a  few 
ineffectual  efforts  at  suppression,  he  indulged  in  a  fit  of 
laughter,  in  which  A.  Z.  joined ;  and  it  was  some  time  be- 
fore she  could  answer  Baron  Z 's  repeated  inquiries  as 

to  the  cause  of  their  mirth. 

"  I  really  don't  know,  Herrmann,  excepting  that  perhaps 
Mr.  Hamilton  is  amused  at  finding  himself  in  our  company. 
By-the-by,  you  do  not  perhaps  know  that  he  speaks  yery 
good  German." 

"  Like  an  Englishman,  eh  ?" 

"  His  German  will  prove  a  better  medium  of  communica- 
tion than  your  English,  perhaps ;  but,"  she  added  quickly, 
changing  the  subject,  and  speaking  German,  "  tell  me,  did 
you  observe  the  new  arrivals  at  the  table  d'hote  to-day. 
Who  are  those  two  pretty  girls?" 

"  Rosenthal,  or  Rosenberg,  I  believe,  is  their  name." 

"  A  decided  acquisition,  so  far  as  appearance  is  concerned. 
The  one  who  sat  beside  Major  Stultz  at  dinner  is  decidedly 
beautiful.     Don't  you  think  so?" 

"  Yes,  and  Major  Stultz  thinks  so  too,  I  should  think  ;  he 
made  prodigious  efforts  to  be  agreeable,  but  could  neither 
obtain  a  smile  nor  look  during  dinner.  Had  I  been  in  his 
place,  I  should  have  tried  the  other,  who  is  very  nearly  as 
pretty,  and  seems  quite  disposed  to  receive  any  attentions 
offered  to  her.  I  saw  her  looking  towards  our  end  of  the 
table  more  than  once,  but  could  not  ascertain  whether  she 
looked  at  me  or  your  friend  there." 

"  My  friend  seems  rather  disposed  to  appropriate  the 
looks,  if  I  may  judge  from  that  rising  blush." 

"  By  no  means,"  cried  Hamilton ;  "  my  acquaintance  with 
the  young  lady  is  of  very  recent  date." 


A   WALK  OF  NO  COMMON  DESCRIPTION         47 

"  I  did  not  know  there  was  any  acquaintance  whatever," 
said  A.  Z. 

"  It  scarcely  deserves  the  name.  We  travelled  part  of  the 
way  from  Munich  together ;  their  carriage  was  dreadfully 
crowded,  and  I  proposed  taking  some  of  the  travellers. 
Mademoiselle  Crescenz,  the  nursery-maid,  and  a  kicking  boy, 
called  Peppy,  were  consigned  to  my  care." 

"  Such  civility  was  very  unusual  on  the  part  of  English- 
men ;  at  least,  our  countrymen  are  here  generally  supposed 
to  be  selfish  when  travelling,"  observing  A.  Z. 

"  Perhaps  my  motives  were  not  quite  free  from  an  alloy 
of  selfishness  ;  I  rather  dreaded  the  ennui  of  a  long  afternoon 
alone  in  an  uncomfortable  carriage ;  and,  besides,  I  was  in 
search  of  an  adventure." 

"  How  did  it  turn  out?" 

"  Oh,  we  got  on  famously  until  we  reached  Seon ;  but 
from  the  moment  Mademoiselle  Crescenz  saw  her  step- 
mother, her  manner  totally  changed ;  so  I  concluded  she 
intended  to  decline  my  acquaintance,  now  that  I  could  be  of 
no  further  use  to  her." 

"  Your  conclusion  proved  how  very  little  you  know  of 
German  girls  in  her  rank  of  life." 

"Should  one  interpret  these  German  girls  by  contraries?" 

"  Cela  dejendr 

"  Perhaps,  then,  her  sister  intends  to  be  very  civil  to  me 
— our  acquaintance  began  by  her  calling  me  a  fool ;  and  I 
overheard  her  saying  to  her  sister  that  I  seemed  to  have  an 
uncommonly  good  opinion  of  myself,  and  looked  like  an 
overgrown  schoolboy." 

"  There  is  no  possibility  of  mistaking  such  demonstra- 
tions," said  A.  Z.,  smiling,  and  evidently  controlling  an  in- 
clination to  laugh,  extremely  displeasing  to  Hamilton. 

"You  seem,"  he  said,  somewhat  distrustfully,  "you  seem 
amused — perhaps  at  my  expressing  your  thoughts  in  the 
words  of  another  person." 

"  What  I  thought  of  you  on  your  first  appearance " 

"  I  already  know.  You  thought  me  a  long-legged,  bashful 
animal ;  at  least  you  said  so  to  Baron  Z ." 

"  At  that  time  I  fancied  I  had  a  sort  of  right  to  criticise ; 
and  had  you  really  proved  to  be  John  or  Archy,  as  I  had 
supposed,  you  might  have  often  been  favoured  with  equally 
flattering  observations ;  I  should  have  considered  you  a  sort 


48  THE  INITIALS. 

of  relation,  and  you  would,  undoubtedly,  have  thought  me  a 
great  bore.  Now,  the  case  is  different,  and  I  shall  treat 
you  with  all  possible  respect ;  but  you  must  allow  me  to 
laugh,  and  promise  not  to  be  offended  at  every  idle  word " 

"  Offended  ! — oh,  no  !  I  should  be  extremely  delighted  if 
you  would  act  towards  me  as  if  I  were  John  or  Archy." 

"  You  are  too  young  to  appreciate  such  treatment — and — 
I  don't  feel  disposed  unnecessarily  to  undertake  the  part  of 
mentor." 

"  You  fear  the  task  would  prove  too  troublesome?" 

"  Not  exactly  that — I  rather  like  giving  advice  ;  but " 

"  You  think  I  should  do  you  no  credit  I" 

"  I  really  do  not  know,  nor  do  I  mean  to  try.  Your  search  for 
adventures  may  bring  you  into  some  embarrassments  which 
may  not  always  turn  out  so  well  as  on  the  present  occasion." 

"  My  good  fortune  on  the  present  occasion  has  been  so 
extraordinary,  that  I  shall  tempt  fate  no  further ;  my  plan 
is  formed.  I  shall  spend  the  winter  in  Munich,  studying 
German  and  the  Germans.  In  the  domestic  circle  of  a  pri- 
vate family " 

"  Where  there  are  no  boys?"  asked  A.  Z. 

"  As  a  proof  of  my  deference  to  your  opinion,  I  shall  make 
no  objection  even  to  five  boys ;  and  also  promise  to  avoid  a 
widow  with  unmarried  daughters." 

"  I  have  some  hope  of  you  now !" 

"  Will  you  then  be  my  mentor  during  my  sojourn  in  Ger- 
many?" 

"  No." 

"  But  you  said  you  liked  giving  advice  ?" 

"  And  so  I  do  ;  it  is,  you  know,  the  only  thing  that  every- 
body is  disposed  to  give,  and  nobody  likes  to  take.  Ask  my 
advice,  and  I  shall  give  it ;  although  I  know  beforehand  you 
will  not  make  use  of  it." 

"  Just  as  much  as  either  John  or  Archy." 

"  No  such  thing  !  My  advice  to  them  would  have  been 
enforced  by  a  little  delegated  parental  authority,  not  to  men- 
tion the  probability  of  their  having,  from  hearsay,  very  ex- 
alted ideas  of  my  wisdom." 

"  I  doubt  if  their  ideas  on  that  subject  could  possibly  be 
more  exalted  than  mine." 

"  Very  appropriately  answered — you  really  are  an  ex- 
tremely promising  young  man." 


A   WALK  OF  NO  COMMON  DESCRIPTION.         43 

Hamilton  bit  his  lip  and  blushed ;  there  was  something  in 
her  manner  so  mocking,  so  unequivocally  ironical,  that  he  felt 
mortified— his  silent  irritation  betraying  itself  in  spite  of  all 
his  endeavours  at  concealment. 

"  You  are  offended,"  she  observed,  quietly,  after  a  pause, 
"  and  offended  without  any  cause.  I  have,  all  my  life,  had  a 
particular  antipathy  to  very  young  men — it  is  quite  impossi- 
ble to  talk  to  them  without  making  remarks  which  they  con- 
sider derogatory  to  their  dignity.  I  did  not  mean  to  annoy 
you,  and  recall  my  words ;  instead  of  a  promising,  I  now 
think  you  an  irritable  young  man.  Does  that  please  you 
better  ?" 

"  Infinitely  better,"  he  answered,  laughing ;  "  if  not  the 
words,  certainly  the  manner  is  preferable.  I  can  bear  any- 
thing but  being  turned  into  ridicule." 

"  What  you  now  call  ridicule  will  a  few  years  hence  take 
the  name  of  badinage ;  but  let  us  talk  of  something  else,  or 
still  better — suppose  we  read.  Here  is  the  Allgemeine  Zei- 
tung,  or  BlackwoooVs  Magazine." 

"  Do  you  take  Blackwood's  ?"  inquired  Hamilton. 

"  I  get  it  and  any  books  I  wish  for  from  the  royal  library. 
No  one  can  be  more  magnificently  liberal  than  the  King  of 
Bavaria,  in  this  respect.  When  you  go  to  Munich,  your 
banker  can  sign  papers  making  himself  answerable  for  any 
books  which  may  be  lost  or  injured  while  in  your  possession  ; 
and  this  is  the  only  formality  necessary  to  insure  you  the  un- 
limited use  of  a  library  containing  upwards  of  eight  hun- 
dred thousand  volumes." 

"  But  you  do  not  mean  to  say  that  I,  a  foreigner,  may  take 
the  books  home  with  me  ?" 

"  Your  ideas  are  too  English  to  comprehend  such  liberality, 
and  so  were  mine  when  I  first  came  to  Munich  ;  but  the  fact 
is,  you  may  take  the  books  to  your  own  apartment  and  read 
them  at  your  leisure.  Of  course  you  must  be  careful  not  to 
injure  them  in  any  way." 

"  But  if  many  people  enjoy  this  privilege,  the  books  must 
be  spoiled  in  time." 

"  You  think,  perhaps,  it  would  be  wiser  if  the  eight  hun- 
dred thousand  volumes  were  put  into  glass  book-cases,  and 
merely  exhibited  to  strangers,  instead  of  being  placed  at  their 
disposition  ?  As  far  as  I  can  judge,  however,  from  personal 
observation,  the  books  are  not  either  spoiled  or  even  soiled  j 
c        d  5 


50  THE  INITIALS. 

at  least,  none  I  have  ever  required  ;  and,  you  see,"  she  said, 
removing  a  paper  cover  from  one  of  them,  "  they  are  very 
nicely  bound." 

"  Do  you  read  a  great  deal  ?"  he  asked. 

"  I  once  thought  so,  but  on  referring  to  the  list  of  books 
actually  read  at  the  end  of  the  year,  it  was  so  insignificant 
that  I  now  make  no  pretension  to  being  what  is  called  a 
reader — a  few  memoirs,  travels,  an  occasional  novel,  and  the 
newspapers,  fill  up  my  time  completely.  But  now  you  really 
must  take  a  book,  or  admire  the  country  in  silence,  for  I  can- 
not allow  my  AUgemeine  Zeitung  to  remain  longer  unread.  I 
have  only  time  for  one  each  day,  and  I  get  into  a  fit  of  de- 
spair when  they  accumulate." 

"  I  think  if  you  won't  talk  to  me  I  should  like  to  smoke  a 
cigar." 

"  A  most  excellent  idea  !  Take  the  coachman's  place  be- 
side Herrmann,  who,  I  am  sure,  will  willingly  drive  in  order 
to  have  the  pleasure  of  your  company.  You  can  talk  over 
your  intended  expedition,  and  boast  of  the  quantity  of  grouse 
you  would  have  shot  had  you  been  at  home  this  August." 

The  day  had  already  closed  as  they  drew  near  the  little 
village  of  Siegsdorf ;  lights  glanced  gaily  from  the  windows 
of  the  houses,  and  from  the  small  inn  the  sound  of  singing 
and  laughter  was  wafted  far  and  wide. 

"  I  don't  think  we  could  do  better  than  stop  here  for  the 
night,"  observed  Baron  Z ,  turning  abruptly  to  his  wife. 

"  I  expected  some  such  proposition  as  soon  as  I  heard  the 
sound  of  the  zither,"  she  answered. 

"  May  I  ?  "  he  asked,  playing  with  the  whip ;  while  the 
horses,  apparently  unwilling  to  pass  by  a  stable,  the  comforts 
of  which  they  had  probably  experienced  on  a  former  occa- 
sion, turned  of  their  own  accord  into  the  roughly-paved 
yard,  and  stopped  at  the  door  of  the  inn. 

The  landlady  made  her  way  with  some  difficulty  through 
the  passage,  which  was  crowded  with  peasants,  to  the  door, 
where  she  stood  to  receive  the  travellers,  her  rotundity  of 
figure  placed  in  strong  relief  by  the  light  behind  her.     Baron 

Z merrily  returned  the  innumerable   salutations  made 

him,  as,  followed  by  his  wife  and  Hamilton,  he  led  the  way 
to  a  room  reserved  for  guests  of  the  higher  classes.  One 
table  was  still  unoccupied,  and  the  landlady,  having  with  her 
apron  swept  away  the  crumbs  of  bread,  and  removed  some 


A   WALK  OF  NO  COMMON  DESCRIPTION,         51 

empty  glasses  which  were  upon  it,  placed  chairs,  asked  what 
they  chose  for  supper,  gave  the  necessary  directions  to  a  girl 
who  was  standing  near  her,  and  then,  with  a  sort  of  con- 
tented sigh,  seated  herself  on  a  bench  at  the  other  end  of 

the  table,  evidently  waiting  to  be  spoken  to.     Baron  Z 

looked  round  him  as  if  in  search  of  some  one,  and  then  said  : 

"  Well,  how  goes  the  world  with  you?  Are  all  the  chil- 
dren well  ?  " 

"  All  in  good  health,  thank  you." 

"  Where  is  my  old  friend  Hauser  ?  I  miss  him  when  he 
is  not  seated  at  the  head  of  the  table." 

"  He  is  out  shooting  to-day." 

"  Is  there,  then,  a  chance  of  my  getting  a  shot,  if  I  remain 
here  to-morrow?" 

"  Indeed  I  cannot  promise  much.  They  say  the  game  is 
getting  very  scarce.  I  am  sometimes  a  whole  week  without 
venison.  You  expected  better  news,  I  know,  for  I  saw  your 
rifle  in  the  carriage." 

"  Not  here,"  said  Baron  Z ;  "  but  I  am  on  my  way  to 

Keichenhall  and  Berchtesgaden,  and  at  one  place  or  the 
other  I  hope  to  have  a  chamois-hunt.  A  friend  of  mine 
wishes  to  see  the  sport." 

"  Ah,  so,"  cried  the  landlady,  looking  intelligently  towards 
Hamilton.  "  I  have  part  of  a  chamois  in  the  house  ;  perhaps 
the  gentleman  would  like  a  ragout  of  it?" 

"  Should  you  like  some  chamois  for  supper,"  asked  A.  Z., 
turning  to  Hamilton. 

"  Oh  !  of  all  things,"  he  answered  eagerly. 

"  It  is  rather  a  dry  kind  of  meat,"  she  continued,  "  I 
have  eaten  it  but  twice  myself;  once  from  curiosity,  the 
second  time  from — necessity.     You  remember,  Herrmann  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  when  we  came  out  of  Tyrol  and  went  to  the 
Klamm.  I  think  we  ought  to  show,  at  least,  one  of  the 
Klamms  to  Mr.  Hamilton.  An  expedition  of  that  kind  will 
be  something  new  to  him,  and  a  day  more  or  less  is  of  no 
consequence  to  us." 

"lam  sure  you  are  very  kind,"  said  Hamilton,  delighted 
at  the  word  "  expedition,"  but  not  in  the  least  knowing  what 
he  was  to  see." 

"  We  might  have  the  carriage  to  meet  us  at  Unken,  and 
our  landlady  will  get  us  a  key  of  the  woodman's  house." 

The  landlady  nodded  assent. 


52  THE  INITIALS. 

11  And  cold  chickens,  and  tongues,  and  coffee,  and  all  those 
sort  of  things.     I  shall  take  guides  from  Ruhpolding." 

"  Herr  Baron,"  cried  a  tall  peasant,  who  had  been  leaning 
against  the  half-open  door  and  listening  attentively  to  every 
word  that  had  been  said — "  Herr  Baron,  you  promised  to 
employ  me  the  next  time  you  went  there.  I  could  go  to 
Frauenstein  for  the  key  to-night,  and  meet  you  in  Ruhpold- 
ing to-morrow." 

"  Off  with  you,  then,"  cried  Baron  Z ,  "  and  be  sure 

to  be  there  at  five  o'clock  to-morrow." 

"  Or  at  half-past  six,"  said  A.  Z. ;  "  and  don't  forget  to 
take  the  largest  bags  you  can  find." 

The  man  nodded  his  head,  scraped  one  of  his  heavy  shoes 
upon  the  floor,  and  disappeared. 

Baron   Z ,  who  was  one  of  the  most  restless  beings 

Hamilton  had  ever  seen,  now  walked  up  and  down  the  room, 
looked  out  of  the  windows  as  well  as  the  thick  leaves  of  the 
numerous  cactus  plants  would  permit,  played  with  all  the 
ugly,  strange  dogs  in  the  room,  and  after  having  seated  him- 
self for  a  minute  or  two  on  every  unoccupied  chair  he  could 
find,  he  finally  joined  the  guests  at  the  other  table,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  was  discussing  politics  with  an  elderly  man  who 
had  been  poring  over  the  pages  of  the  newspapers ;  then  he 
listened  and  related  sporting  anecdotes  to  another,  who  from 
his  dress  he  knew  must  be  a  Jciger ;  with  the  wood-ranger 
he  talked  of  timber,  the  drifts  of  wood  in  the  neighbour- 
hood ;  and  during  the  first  pause  in  the  conversation,  he  took 
up  a  guitar  which  was  lying  on  the  table  and  commenced 
singing  Tyrolean  songs,  with  such  spirit  and  humour  that  his 
audience  unanimously  joined  in  chorus,  each  taking  the  part 
suiting  his  voice  with  a  precision  so  surprising  to  Hamilton 
that  he  asked  A.  Z.  if  they  had  often  sung  together  before. 

"  Never  that  I  am  aware  of,"  she  answered  examining 
more  attentively  the  singers ;  "  I  do  not  think  Herrmann  is 
acquainted  with  even  one  of  them." 

The  music  within  seemed  to  inspire  some  musicians  with- 
out, for  no  sooner  had  it  ceased  than  the  gay  notes  of  a  zither 
were  heard — an  instrument  which  Hamilton  had  never  seen, 
and  which  A.  Z.  told  him  was  well  worth  the  trouble  of  an 
examination,  He  was  about  to  leave  the  room  for  the  pur- 
pose, when  he  met  the  landlady  carrying  in  the  soup  for 
supper;  he  stopped  embarrassed,  but  Baron  Z ,  without 


A   WALK  OF  NO  COMMON  DESCRIPTION.         53 

further  ceremony,  called  in  the  peasant,  who  was  the  best 
performer,  and  gave  him  a  place  beside  him  at  the  table. 
The  man  tuned  his  zither  and  began  to  play  what  he  called 
"  Laendlers"  perhaps  from  the  word  land  or  country,  simple 
waltzes  to  which  the  peasants  dance,  and  which  A.  Z.  assured 
Hamilton,  when  accompanied  by  a  guitar,  and  the  time 
beaten  by  the  dancing  of  feet  and  the  snapping  of  fingers, 
at  a  target-shooting  match,  or  a  wedding,  was  the  very  gayest 
music  she  had  ever  -heard. 

They  were  all  in  high  spirits  the  next  morning,  when  they 
met  soon  after  sunrise,  for  the  weather  promised  to  be  ex- 
tremely fine,  indeed  sultry,  if  an  unclouded  sky  at  so  early 
an  hour  might  be  depended  upon.  Hamilton  was,  therefore, 
not  a  little  surprised  at  the  number  of  cloaks  and  shawls 

with  which  the  carriage  was  lumbered,  and  at  Baron  Z 's 

dress.  He  had  on  the  same  grey  shooting  jacket  and  green 
felt  hat  in  which  he  had  first  seen  him — but  he  had  also 
black  knee-breeches,  and  worsted  stockings  drawn  half-way 
up  his  thighs,  but  which  were  so  elastic  that  they  could  be 
pushed  below  the  knees,  where  clinging  to  the  legs,  they 
formed  folds  at  a  distance  resembling  top-boots.  A  large 
pouch  hung  at  his  side,  and  in  his  hand  he  carried  a  long 
pole  with  an  iron  point.  Hamilton  was  also  given  one  as  he 
got  into  the  carriage,  and  they  drove  off  amidst  the  heartiest 
wishes  for  good  weather  and  their  enjoyment  of  it. 

"  Mr.  Hamilton  would  have  got  on  better  without  straps 
and  with  thicker  boots,"  observed  Baron  Z . 

"  It  is  of  no  consequence,  for  to-day  we  have  scarcely  any 
ascent,  if  I  remember  right,"  answered  his  wife. 

"  I  ought  to   have  equipped  him,"   cried   Baron  Z , 

laughing.     "  How  do  you  think  he  would  look?" 

"  As  he  is  considerably  taller  than  you  are — there  would 
be  at  least  half  a  yard  of  leg  uncovered." 

"  The  dress  is  certainly  very  becoming,"  observed  Hamil- 
ton, "but I  cannot  imagine  it  particularly  comfortable." 

"  If  you  had  to  climb,  you  would  find  it  as  comfortable  as 
becoming,"  answered  Baron  Z ;  "  and  that  it  is  judi- 
cious admits  of  no  doubt ;  all  mountaineers  have  something 
similar  ;  and  you  may  be  sure  the  dress  was  originally  adopted 
for  its  convenience.  It  is  unquestionably  advantageous,  hav- 
ing the  knees  uncovered  in  ascending  and  descending  moun- 
tains," 

5* 


54  THE  INITIALS. 

11  And  the  monstrous  shoes" — begun  Hamilton 

"  Give  a  steadier  footing  and  preserve  the  feet  from  the 
pointed  stones  or  rocks." 

"  I  remember,"  said  A.  Z.,  "  the  first  time  I  ascended  an  alp, 
I  wore  thin  shoes  and  open-work  silk  stockings  ;  I  came  home 
nearly  barefoot,  of  course,  and  with  quite  a  new  idea  of  an  alp." 

'•  Oh,  pray  do  give  me  some  idea  of  one,"  cried  Hamilton  ; 
u  I — I  must  confess  I  have  none  whatever  ;  for  when  people 
talk  of  alps,  I  cannot  help  thinking  of  the  Alps." 

"  I  am  not  surprised  at  your  question,  for  I  doubt  if  the 
word  be  in  the  dictionary  with  the  meaning  attached  to  it  here. 
People  call  the  pasture-lands  on  the  hills  or  lower  parts  of 
the  mountains,  '  alp.'  Almost  every  farmer  of  any  impor- 
tance has  one  to  which  he  sends  the  greater  part  of  his  cat- 
tle during  the  summer  months,  and  there  butter  and  cheese 
are  made  for  the  winter.  Where  the  alps  are  extensive,  they 
are  held  by  several  persons,  and  instead  of  one  little  wooden 
residence,  there  are  sometimes  twenty  or  thirty." 

"A  sort  of  inhabited  common,  perhaps?" 

"  By  no  means.  They  are  inherited  or  bought,  or  given 
in  leases,  and  are  sometimes  very  valuable." 

"  The  view  from  them  is,  of  course,  very  extensive,"  ob- 
served Hamilton. 

u  Generally,  or  I  should  not  have  been  on  so  many." 

"  And  I,"  said  Baron  Z ,  "  always  endeavour  to  pass 

the  night  on  one  when  I  am  on  a  hunting  expedition  ;  for, 
besides  the  chance  of  a  few  hours'  sleep  in  a  hayloft,  one  can 
warm  one's  self  at  a  good  fire,  and  breakfast  before  daybreak. 
You  shall  see  an  alp,  and  a  chamois-hunt,  also,  if  I  can  man- 
age it,  before  you  return  to  Seon." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  being  able  to  mount  any  alp  you 
please,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  but  for  a  person  who  is  not  a  good 
shot  to  undertake  anything  so  dangerous  as  a  chamois-hunt 

"  Danger  !    There  is  none  whatever." 

"  No  danger !  Why,  I  have  read  frightful  accounts  of 
chamois-huDts !" 

"  Read  !  Oh,  so  have  I — and  I  don't  deny  that  an  acci- 
dent may  occur  occasionally.  In  Switzerland,  for  instance, 
where  the  chase  is  free,  the  chamois  have  become  so  scarce 
and  shy  that  they  have  taken  refuge  in  the  highest  parts  of 
the  mountains.     There,  and  perhaps  in  those  parts  of  Tyrol 


A   WALK  OF  NO  COMMON  DESCRIPTION         55 

where  they  are  only  nominally  protected,  they  are  difficult  to 
be  got  at — but  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Berchtesgaden,  Ischl, 
and  Steyermark,  a  chamois  is  not  much  more  difficult  to 
shoot  than  a  stag  or  a  roebuck." 

"  But,"  said  A.  Z.,  "  you  must  confess  that  people  always 
think  more  of  a  chamois-hunt  than  of  any  other.  You  would 
rather,  I  am  sure,  shoot  a  chamois  than  a  deer." 

"  That  is  true,  but  there  is  no  use  in  making  more  of  it 
than  is  necessary.  Mr.  Hamilton,  with  his  present  ideas, 
will  be  greatly  disappointed,  I  fear." 

"  No,  for  I  was  just  going  to  tell  him  that  I  have  been  on 
mountains  where  the  chamois  have  been  seen  springing  from 
rock  to  rock  in  places  to  which  I  could  easily  have  mounted 
if  I  had  put  on  a  pair  of  Steigeisen" 

"  What  is  that  ?    What  are  they  ?" 

"  I  scarcely  know  how  to  describe  them ;  they  look  like 
pattens  at  a  distance,  and  are  buckled  over  the  shoes  in  the 
same  manner,  but  they  are  provided  with  four  strong  iron 
spikes,  to  enable  you  to  plant  your  feet  steadily  in  the  ground, 
or  in  the  fissures  of  the  rocks." 

"  That's  it !"  cried  Hamilton.  "  They  were  also  in  the  de- 
scription which  I  read." 

"  Do  not  have  too  exalted  an  idea  of  the  danger  on  that 
account,"  answered  A.  Z.,  laughing  ;  "  for  I  have  heard  that 
many  people  who  inhabit  the  mountainous  parts  of  this 
country  use  them  when  they  walk  on  the  snow  in  winter." 

"  So,  after  all,"  said  Hamilton,  "  a  chamois-hunt  is  quite  a 
common  sort  of  thing." 

"  You  are  falling  into   the   contrary  extreme  now,"  said 

Baron  Z ;  "  for,  though  it  is  no  uncommon  thing,  strong 

sinews,  good  lungs,  a  quick  eye,  and  a  steady  hand  are  always 
required  in  order  to  be  successful." 

They  arrived  at  Ruhpolding,  and  found  their  guides  wait- 
ing for  them — tall,  strong-looking  men,  with  sunburnt  faces 
and  bushy  mustaches.  Their  dress  was  of  coarser  materials, 
but  in  other  respects  quite  resembling  Baron  Z 's,  ex- 
cepting that  their  grey  stockings,  with  a,  fanciful  pattern  in 
green,  were  short,  and  left  their  knees  perfectly  bare.  On 
their  shoulders  were  slung  canvas  bags,  into  which  they  im- 
mediately packed  the  cloaks,  shawls,  and  provisions  of  every 
description. 

A  couple  of  miles  beyond  Buhpoiding  the  carriage  was 


56  THE  INITIALS. 

abandoned,  and  the  party  commenced  their  expedition  on  a 
footway  through  the  Fishbach  valley.  The  vegetation  around 
them  was  of  the  richest  colouring,  the  mossy  grass  under 
the  trees  of  the  deepest  green  ;  and  wild  berberry  trees,  with 
their  delicate  leaves  and  pendent  crimson  berries  grew  luxu- 
riantly in  every  direction.  A  variety  of  beautifully  delicate 
wild-flowers  pleased  Hamilton's  eye,  but  he  looked  on  with 
some  impatience,  while  A.  Z.  and  her  husband  leisurely 
gathered  and  examined  some,  took  others  up  by  the  roots, 
and  placed  all  in  a  tin  box,  evidently  brought  for  the  pur- 
pose. Long  and  serious  too  were  the  discussions  about  them, 
which,  as  Hamilton  did  not  understand,  he  was  glad  when, 
in  contrast  to  this  scene  of  fertility,  their  way  brought  them 
to  the  immediate  base  of  the  mountains,  where  it  ran  paral- 
lel with  the  dry  bed  of  a  torrent  almost  deserving  the  name 
of  river  when  in  spring  it  rushes  from  its  snowy  source, 
sweeping  away  heaps  of  stones  and  trunks  of  torn-up  trees, 
which,  thrown  high  on  either  side,  leave  the  valley  between 
a  scene  of  stony  desolation.  They  continued  for  a  consid- 
erable time  between  the  almost  perpendicular  sides  of  the 
mountains,  sometimes  climbing  over  colossal  masses  of  stone, 
at  others  enjoying  the  shade  of  the  thick  pine-trees  or  over- 
hanging rocks,  when,  on  passing  an  abrupt  turn,  a  foaming 
waterfall  seemed  suddenly  to  prevent  all  further  progress ; 
for,  after  passing  over  the  very  path  they  were  pursuing,  it 
bounded  from  the  rocks,  which  sometimes  arrested,  but  could 
not  impede  its  progress,  until  having  half-exhausted  itself  in 
spray,  it  reached  a  solid  bed  of  stone,  and  finally  disappeared 
among  the  dark-green  fir-trees  of  the  narrow  valley  below. 

While  Hamilton  looked  in  silent  admiration  down  the 
precipice,  A.  Z.,  her  husband,  and  the  two  guides  disap- 
peared in  the  cavity  of  the  rock  behind  the  waterfall,  and 
seemed  greatly  to  enjoy  his  surprise  when  he  discovered 
them  sitting  under  the  trees  at  the  other  side.  While  one 
of  the  guides  unpacked  his  canvas  bag,  and  laid  the  con- 
tents on  the  nearest  rock,  Hamilton  joined  them,  and  they 
remained  beside  the  waterfall  more  than  an  hour,  enjoying 
their  frugal  repast  while  resting  in  the  shade,  and  tranquil- 
lised  almost  to  laziness  by  the  sound  of  the  rushing  waters. 
Baron  Z was,  of  course,  the  first  to  move. 

"Ah,  there  is  a  chalet /"  exclaimed  Hamilton,  pointing 
towards  some  small  wooden  buildings  on  a  green  hill  before 


A   WALK   OF  NO   COMMON  DESCRIPTION.         57 

them ;  below  which  a  second  waterfall,  forming  natural  cis 
terns  in  the  rocks,  fell  in  cascades  from  one  to  the  other. 
"  A  chalet  at  last !" 

"  We  call  them  Senner  huts  here,"  said  A.  Z.  "  "When 
men  have  the  charge  of  the  cattle,  they  are  called  Senners  ; 
when  women,  Senneruis.  Let  us  go  to  where  that  girl  is 
standing  at  the  door  of  her  hut ;  she  seems  an  acquaintance 
of  our  guide's.  These  Sennerins"  she  continued,  looking 
attentively  at  the  one  who  was  now  about  to  supply  them 
with  cheese  and  butter — "  these  Sennerins  are  the  theme  of 
almost  all  the  national  poetry  and  songs  here  in  the  moun- 
tains." 

"They  would  not  inspire  me,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing. 
"  I  see  nothing  very  poetical  about  them,  if  this  one  may  be 
taken  as  a  specimen." 

"  You  da  not  understand  their  manners  or  mode  of  life," 

said  Baron  Z .     "  Their  isolated  situation  and  primitive 

occupations  are  poetical — these  mountains  and  endless  forests 
are  poetical — there  is  poetry  in  the  sound  of  the  bell,  which 
answers  to  every  movement  of  the  grazing  cow — in  the  tink- 
ling of  the  little  bells,  which,  like  castenets,  denote  the 
quicker  motions  of  the  goats  1" 

"  True,"  said  A.  Z.  ;  "  and  you  would  find  that  round- 
faced,  thick-legged  girl  picturesque,  if  not  poetical,  could  we 
remain  long  enough  for  you  to  hear  her  singing  to  assemble 
her  herd,  and  see  her  surrounded  by  her  cows  and  goats  this 
evening." 

"  Shall  we  not  pass  the  night  in  one  of  these  sorts  of 
huts?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"Not  in  a  Senner  hut,"  replied  Baron  Z .     "  It  is  the 

woodmen  and  foresters'  chalet  to  which  we  are  going ;  the 
ground  is  Austrian,  but  the  woods  are  Bavarian  ;  and  it  is 
through  the  Klamm  that  the  wood  is  drifted  for  the  salt- 
works at  Reichenhall." 

"  Through  the  Klamm"  repeated  Hamilton,  slowly  and 
musingly. 

"  You  look  as  if  you  did  not  know  what  the  word  Klamm 
meant,"  observed  A.  Z. 

"  I  must  confess  I  do  not,  although  I  looked  for  it  yester- 
day evening  in  my  pocket  dictionary.  The  explanation  was 
a  spasm  in  the  throat ;  or,  close,  solid,  narrow " 

"  Exactly,"  said  A.  Z.     "  The  Klamm  which  we  are  now 


58  THE  INITIALS. 

going  to  see  is  a  long,  narrow  passage,  made  by  a  stream  of 
water  through  a  mountain  of  solid  rock ;  but  now  let  us 
move  on,  or  we  shall  have  to  inspect  it  by  torchlight." 

They  all  hurried  forward  towards  the  ascent  before  them, 
and  would  probably  have  felt  considerably  fatigued  had  not 
the  continual  change  in  the  scenery  created  unceasing  in- 
terest. Far  as  the  eye  reached,  all  was  green  ;  and  beyond, 
the  deep-blue  sky,  unbroken  by  a  single  cloud.  A  new  and 
gigantic  world  of  mountains  rewarded  them  for  the  toil  of 
the  ascent.  Here  and  there  a  peasant's  house,  with  its  over- 
hanging wooden  roof,  gave  life  to  a  picture  that,  with  all  its 
sunshine,  would  otherwise  have  been  desolate  in  its  loneli- 
ness, for  no  human  being  was  visible.  It  seemed  extraordi- 
nary that  the  ground  was  so  highly  cultivated,  for  road  there 
was  none ;  nor  did  there  seem  to  be  any  communication  with 
the  world  but  by  a  narrow  and  in  some  places  rather  dan- 
gerous footway.  Cattle  were  to  be  seen  further  up  the 
mountains,  on  those  green  spots  of  turf  described  by  A.  Z., 
and  which  are  to  be  found  sometimes  even  among  the  bare 
crags.  These  pastures  can  only  be  used  for  a  short  time  in 
summer ;  and,  as  the  weather  grows  colder  in  autumn,  the 
cattle  are  driven  down  lower,  until  finally  they  are  brought 
home  for  the  winter,  covered  with  garlands  of  wild  flowers  ! 
While  Baron  Z was  enthusiastically  describing  "  A  re- 
return  from  the  alp,"  they  had  begun  to  descend  into  the 
valley,  and  already  heard  the  sound  of  rushing  water. 
Magnificent  masses  of  rock  prepared  them  for  the  cavern, 
into  which  they  entered  by  a  natural  arch,  over  which, 
carved  in  the  stone,  are  the  words 

"  '  Gutta  cavat  lapidem,  non  vi  sed  sa?pe  cadendo,'  1833.'' 

"  So  the  cave  is  altogether  formed  by  the  action  of  the 
water."  observed  Hamilton,  looking  upwards. 

"  Altogether,  as  you  will  soon  perceive,"  replied  Baron 
Z .  "  Some  years  ago  this  was  a  wild  place,  and  fright- 
ful accidents  often  occurred,  until  our  king  had  a  way  made 
through  it  for  the  convenience  and  safety  of  the  persons 
employed  in  the  drifting  of  the  wood." 

The  narrow  bridge-like  way  of  which  he  spoke  was  com- 
posed of  strong  beams  and  planks ;  and  in  the  twilight 
which  always  reigns  in  the  vaulted  tunnel,  it  appears  to 


A  WALK  OF  NO  COMMON  DESCRIPTION.         59 

hang  suspended  in  the  air,  being  supported  by  iron  cramps 
driven  into  the  solid  rock  underneath.  The  water  rages, 
and  above  the  daylight  enters  sparingly  by  a  few  small 
isolated  openings. 

"  One  could  fancy  this  the  abode  of  the  '  Wild  Hunts- 
man,' "  said  A.  Z. 

"  I  know  nothing  of  the  Wild  Huntsman,"  said  Hamilton, 
"  excepting  from  the  scenery  in  Der  Freyschutz.  Everything 
I  have  seen  to-day,  but  most  of  all  this  wild  cavern,  reminds 
me  of  it.  I  should  rather  like  to  be  here  on  a  stormy  night, 
to  hear  the  wind  whistling  through  these  arches.  Although 
not  very  imaginative,  I  could  almost  bring  the  Wild  Hunts- 
man to  my  view,  just  here  where  the  sky  begins  to  be  visible." 

"  Instead  of  the  Wild  Huntsman,  substitute  the  forester 
when  he  opens  the  sluices  to  let  the  wood  drift  through,"  said 
Baron  Z .  "  Fancy  the  rushing  and  roaring  of  the  pent- 
up  torrent,  the  dashing  of  the  trunks  of  trees  against  these 
rocks,  the  terrific  noise  increased  by  the  echo " 

"  Oh  !  how  I  should  like  to  see  it,"  exclaimed  Hamilton, 
eagerly. 

"  I  prefer  a  quiet  sunset,  like  the  present,"  said  A.  Z., 
beginning  to  ascend  the  steps  which  led  out  of  the  cavern. 
"  I  can  imagine  what  you  have  described,  and  acknowledge 
that  wild  weather  heightens  the  effect  of  scenery  such  as 
this;  but  still  just  in  such  places  I  particularly  enjoy  the 
repose  of  nature.  There  is  no  tameness  in  it,  for  the  possible 
change  which  may  take  place  is  ever  unconsciously  before 
the  mind's  eye." 

"  That  may  be  true,"  said  Hamilton,  thoughtfully.  "  I 
have  seen  but  little  wild  scenery — never  anything  resembling 
this,  excepting,  as  I  said  before,  at  the  theatre,  where  I 
looked  upon  everything  as  very  fine,  but  very  impossible." 

"  Few  people  in  England  are  aware  how  very  true  to 
nature  the  Freyschutz  is.  Put  the  Wild  Huntsman  and  the 
charmed  bullets  aside,  and  every  target-shooting  match  in 
the  mountains  will  bring  the  scenery  and  actors  before  you. 
Weber  was  in  the  habit  of  frequenting  such  places,  and  listen- 
ing for  hours  to  the  untutored  singers  and  zither-players." 

"  Who  have  we  here?  "  cried  Baron  Z ,  as  they  came 

within  view  of  the  woodman's  house,  and  he  perceived  several 
persons  moving  backwards  and  forwards. 

"  Another  party  !  "  exclaimed  A.  Z.     "  I  only  hope  they 


60  THE  INITIALS. 

are  not  too  numerous,  and  that  we  may  be  able  to  join  them. 
I  have  no  fancy  for  going  on  to  an  alp  this  evening." 

"  But  if  they  are  all  strangers "  began  Hamilton. 

"  If  they  are,  we  shall  make  their  acquaintance.  I  think 
I  see  a  couple  of  ladies — a  most  fortunate  circumstance  for 
me,  as  they  will  be  sure  to  offer  to  make  our  coffee  and 
arrange  everything.  I  am  not  at  all  useful  on  parties  of  this 
kind,  but  very  thankful  to  anyone  who  takes  care  of  me." 

They  were  strangers,  and  considered  themselves  such  in  a 
double  sense — for  they  were  Austrians !  While  A.  Z.  was 
explaining  the  extraordinary  fact  of  Bavarians  considering 

themselves  foreigners  in  Austria,  and  vice  versa,  Baron  Z 

had  entered  into  conversation  with  them,  and  a  few  minutes 
sufficed  for  him  to  guess  the  name  of  one  who  said  he  was 
there  on  business  ;  and  from  him  he  heard  all  he  required 
about  the  others.  As  to  A.  Z.,  she  lost  no  time  in  seeking 
two  ladies  who  were  standing  at  the  door  of  the  chalet,  and 
baving  confessed  her  want  of  experience  in  all  culinary  art, 
they,  without  hesitation,  made  the  offer  she  desired,  and  were 
given  the  bags,  which  the  guides  were  just  taking  from  their 
shoulders. 

The  supper,  composed  of  the  most  heterogeneous  mate- 
rials, was  eaten  under  the  trees  near  the  house ;  and  it  was 
not  until  late  that  they  took  refuge  from  the  night  air  in  the 
kitchen  of  the  chalet,  where  a  bright  fire  burned  on  the  high, 
open  hearth,  which,  like  a  long  table,  occupied  the  middle  of 
the  room,  with  wooden  benches  round  it.  A  zither  was  found 
in  the  house,  and  a  young  student,  with  long,  fair  hair  flow- 
ing over  his  black  velvet  coat,  who  had  brought  a  guitar, 
slung,  troubadour-fashion,  over  his  shoulders,  sang  directly 
he  was  requested.  A  quartette  was  also  soon  arranged  ;  and 
Hamilton,  seated  in  a  corner,  out  of  the  glare  of  the  fire, 
contemplated  the  party  for  a  long  time  in  silence. 

At  daybreak  the  next  morning,  long  before  the  sun's  rays 
could  reach  them,  they  were  again  in  the  Klamm ;  and. 
passing  through  it,  found  another  and  much  easier  way  than 
that  of  the  previous  day,  which  brought  them  to  Unken. 
There  they  parted  from  their  acquaintance  of  the  evening 
before,  who  surrounded  their  carriage,  bowing  and  shaking 
hands,  with  a  mixture  of  formality  and  friendliness  which 
afforded  A.  Z.  and  Hamilton  subject  of  conversation  for 
some  time,  the  former  observing  that  had  two  English  parties 


AN  ALP.  61 

met  in  the  same  way,  they  would  never  have  joined  so  cor- 
dially ;  and,  instead  of  conducing  to  each  other's  amusement, 
would  most  probably  have  sat  apart,  reciprocally  watching 
to  detect  whatever  was  disagreeable  or  vulgar.  "  I,  for  my 
part,"  she  continued,  "  was  exceedingly  well  satisfied  with 
my  companions,  who  were  very  communicative,  and  related 
a  great  many  interesting  particulars  of  their  mode  of  life  in 
Tyrol.  I  have  promised  to  visit  them  should  I  ever  be  in 
their  neighbourhood.  Their  father  is  a  forester,  and  the 
eldest  is  engaged  to  be  married  to  that  silent,  shy  man,  in 
the  green  shooting-jacket.  However,  he  was  not  too  shy  to 
wait  for  her  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  when  he  supposed  we 
were  all  asleep." 

"  So  they  really  did  take  a  walk  by  moonlight !  " 

"  The  moonlight  did  not  last  long;  and  I  do  not  believe 
they  went  farther  than  the  bench  outside  the  door,  where 
they  found  more  company  than  they  expected.  Romantic 
feelings  and  sentimental  contemplations  are  not  confined  to 
German  women ;  there  are  few  men  here  who  would  not 
sacrifice  a  few  hours'  rest  on  an  occasion  like  yesterday,  to 
sit — and  smoke  in  the  moonbeams." 

"  How  ingeniously  you  always  contrive  to  alloy  your  praise 
of  us,"  said  her  husband.,  laughing. 

"  And  yet  I  am  strict  to  truth,  for  the  fumes  of  cigars 
ascended  with  the  murmuring  of  voices,  last  night,  to  my 
window,  and  obliged  me  to  close  it." 

"  Well,  we  shall  have  nothing  of  the  kind  to-night,  as  we 
are  likely  to  be  alone  on  the  alp." 

"  I  have  been  thinking  it  would  be  as  well  if  we  were  to 
go  to  Berchtesgaden,  and  sleep  comfortably  in  beds  ;  I  do  not 
feel  jquite  equal  to  another  night  passed  on  the  hay." 


CHAPTER  V. 

AN   ALP. 


To  Berchtesgaden  they  went.  We  shall  not  follow  Ham- 
ilton, either  when  he  inspected  the  salt-works,  or  visited  the 
beautiful  lakes  in  its  immediate  neighbourhood ;  nor  would 
we  accompany  him  to  the  alp,  which  he  afterwards  ascended, 
were  it  not  to  give  our  readers  a  slight  idea  of  those  excur- 


62  THE  INITIALS. 

sions  so  common  in  the  mountainous  parts  of  Bavaria,  and 
of  the  little  importance  attached  to  a  chamois  hunt.  They 
were  unceremoniously  joined  in  their  expedition  by  a  number 
of  hunters,  foresters,  and  some  officers  who  were  on  leave  of 
absence.  A.  Z.  went  with  them  very  willingly,  as  she  heard 
that  an  acquaintance  of  hers  was  spending  a  few  weeks  on 
the  alp  for  her  health,  enjoying  what  is  called  "  JSommer 
frisch"  ;  and,  in  fact,  on  reaching  the  chalet,  which  was  situ- 
ated in  the  midst  of  the  mountains,  they  found  a  very  nice- 
looking,  sunburnt  person,  sitting  with  her  maid  before  the 

door.     She  was  surprised  to  see  the  Z 's,  but  not  in  the 

least  to  see  the  others,  as  she  said  scarcely  a  week  passed  that 
someone  did  not  come  to  hunt ;  and  on  hearing  that  Hamil- 
ton spoke  German  she  pointed  upwards  towards  the  rocks 
before  the  house,  and  said  that  in  the  evening  he  would  see 
the  chamois  leaping  about  there. 

"She  is  destroying  all  the  mystery  of  a  chamois-hunt," 
said  Hamilton,  turning  to  A.  Z.  "  I  could  run  up  that 
mountain,  I  think." 

"  I  would  not  advise  you  to  try  it ;  nor,  indeed,  can  I  con- 
sent to  your  making  any  excursion  on  the  mountain  alone, 
as  long  as  you  are  travelling  with  us.  Violent  deaths  are  not 
at  all  uncommon  here ;  it  is  not  long  since  a  girl,  gathering 
herbs,  fell  over  a  precipice  and  was  dashed  to  pieces  ;  and  a 
man  was  found  nearly  starved  to  death,  in  a  place  to  which 
he  had  climbed,  but  from  which  he  found  it  impossible  to 
extricate  himself.  That  old  man,"  she  added,  lowering  her 
voice,  "  that  old  Jciger,  who  is  now  speaking  to  Herrmann, 
had  some  dispute  with  his  only  son  when  they  were  on  a 
chamois-hunt  together  ;  people  say  that  a  push  from  him,  in 
the  heat  of  argument,  precipitated  the  young  man  thousands 
of  feet  below ;  his  body  was  found  in  a  dreadfully  mutilated 
state,  but  there  was  no  evidence  against  the  old  man,  for  they 
had  been  alone ;  and  as  such  accidents  are  but  too  common, 
the  exact  state  of  the  case  has  never  been  ascertained,  and 
his  confessor  alone  knows  what  happened." 

"  Well,  Hamilton,  are  you  disposed  to  try  a  shot  this  even- 
ing ?"  asked  Baron  Z ;  "  three  or  four  chamois  have  been 

seen  in  the  neighbourhood." 

"  I  shall  go  with  you  as  a  looker-on  ;  but  as  I  am  a  very 
bad  shot,  I  think  one  of  these  poles  will  be  of  more  use  to 
me  than  a  rifle." 


AN  ALP.  63 

"  We  shall  send  some  men  up  to  beat  tliem  down  to  us," 

said  Baron  Z .     "  There  is  no  use  in  climbing  more  than 

is  necessary." 

"  Can  you  not  use  dogs  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  They  could  never  be  properly  trained  ;  for  although  the 
chamois  do  not  in  the  least  mind  the  clattering  of  stones  or 
gravel,  any  unusual  sound  immediately  attracts  their  atten- 
tion. A  solitary  hunter  has  only  to  avoid  this,  and  to  take 
care  that  the  wind  blows  in  his  face,  or,  at  least,  not  from 
him  in  the  direction  where  he  expects  to  find  them.  Their 
scent  is  something  almost  incredible,  and  only  equalled  by 
their  shyness." 

"  It  is,  after  all,  a  very  difficult  shot,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Yes,  in  Tyrol  and  Switzerland,  where  they  have  been 
hunted  until  they  have  taken  refuge  in  the  most  inaccessible 
places — though  even  there,  I  doubt  the  truth  of  most  of  the 
wonderful  stories  related  of  them,  especially  of  their  so  ma- 
liciously forcing  the  hunters  down  the  precipices.  It  has 
been  proved  that  the  chamois  have  no  remarkable  preference 
for  very  high  or  cold  mountains ;  they  only  choose  them  in 
order  to  have  a  good  retreat  among  the  rocks  when  pursued." 

"  That  I  observed,  too,  last  year,"  said  an  officer,  who  was 
of  the  party,  "  at  Prince  Lamberg's,  where  there  is  the  best 
chamois-hunting  in  Germany,  perhaps.  They  were  there  so 
well  preserved  that  they  were  not  more  shy  or  difficult  to 
shoot  than  other  game ;  and  instead  of  their  only  being  to 
be  found  in  the  evening,  or  at  dawn,  they  rambled  about  all 
day  ;  and  when  the  weather  was  mild,  did  not  even  seek  the 
shade." 

"  I  have  heard  of  Prince  Lamberg's  mountains,"  said  Baron 

Z ;  "  he  has  fifteen  or  sixteen  hundred  chamois  on  them, 

I  hear  ;  but,  after  all,  when  one  can  have  them  without  much 
trouble,  one  does  not  value  them  so  highly  ;  for  instance,  I 
shot  a  chamois  some  years  ago,  in  Bayrishzill,  but  was  out 
nearly  twenty  four  hours  before  I  got  a  shot — here  is  his 
beard,  which  I  have  preserved  and  worn  ever  since,"  he 
added,  taking  off  his  hat  and  showing  a  little  fan-like  orna- 
ment, which  Hamilton  had  before  observed  without  knowing 
its  value. 

"  Then  they  have  beards  like  goats  ?  "  said  Hamilton. 

"  No,"  replied  Baron  Z .    "  This  is  called  a  beard,  but 

it  is  the  hair  which  grows  along  the  back." 


64  THE  INITIALS. 

"  I  see  something  very  like  a  chamois  up  there,"  said  the 
officer,  who  held  a  small  telescope  to  his  eye. 

Everyone  wished  to  look — some  could  not  find  the  place — 
others  imagined  they  saw  something — one  thought  it  was  the 
stump  of  a  tree — but  some  practised  eyes  having  pronounced 
it  to  be  the  desired  animals  feeding,  the  party  broke  up  and 
the  chase  began. 

Hamilton  climbed  with  an  ease  and  lightness  which  sur- 
prised his  companions  ;  but  he  so  often  stopped  to  admire  a 
handsome  beech-tree,  or  to  "  seek  for  fresh  evening  air  in 
the  opening  glades,"  that  they  by  degrees  went  on,  and  he 
found  himself  at  last  alone  in  a  spot  where  some  convulsion 
of  Nature  had  split  the  mountain  partly  asunder.  He  saw 
far,  far  beneath  him,  the  road  into  Tyrol ;  the  heav}T-laden 
wagons,  which  a  few  days  before  he  had  thought  packed 
dangerously  high,  now  wound,  pigmy-like,  along,  the  motion 
of  the  endless  team  of  horses  scarcely  perceptible.  Hill 
rose  beyond  hill,  until  the  prospect  was  bounded  by  the  gro- 
tesque masses  of  rocks  which,  rising  from  the  wooded  moun- 
tains, increase  their  gigantic  appearance  by  their  partial  con- 
cealment behind  those  light  wreaths  of  clouds  which  seldom 
entirely  desert  their  summits.  For  the  inhabitants  of  the 
valley,  the  sun  had  long  disappeared ;  but  around  Hamilton 
everything  was  in  the  glow  of  sunset :  he  seated  himself 
on  the  mossy  turf  and  deliberately  resigned  himself  to  con- 
templation. No  place  could  have  been  better  chosen,  and  he 
was  therefore  surprised  and  disappointed  to  find  that  the 
sublime  thoughts  which  he  had  expected  did  not  present 
themselves  to  his  mind.  He  admired  the  surpassing  luxuri- 
ance of  the  vegetation  in  the  valleys,  the  different-coloured 
foliage  of  the  trees ;  the  wild  irregular  course  of  the  foam- 
ing river  ; — he  tried  to  think  of  the  greatness  of  the  Creator 
in  His  works,  the  insignificance  of  man  and  his  endeavours — 
in  vain.  An  agreeable  feeling  of  general  satisfaction  stole 
over  him,  while  fancy  conveyed  him  home  to  his  family,  to 
his  youthful  friends.  A  handsome  English  residence  rose 
before  him,  with  well-kept  lawns,  gravelled  walks,  and  shrub- 
beries ;  groups  of  well-dressed  people  were  visible  among  the 
trees,  and  on  the  steps  leading  to  the  hall-door  a  large  party 
was  assembled.  Carriages  and  riding-horses  were  there ; 
laughing  girls,  in  their  long  habits,  young  men  carelessly 
loitering  near  them. 


AN  ALP.  65 

They  were  to  visit  a  well-preserved  ruin  in  the  neighbour- 
hood— so  often  seen,  it  is  true,  that  everything  was  thought 
of  more  than  the  nominal  object.  Camp-stools,  servants  in 
livery,  champagne  and  pine-apples  began  to  chase  each  other 
in  pleasing  confusion  before  Hamilton's  mind's  eye — when 
the  distant  report  of  a  gun  destroyed  the  "baseless  fabric" 
of  his  "  waking  vision,"  and  he  started  up,  remembering 
with  some  amazement  that  he  was  engaged  in  a  chamois- 
hunt  !  "  It  is  of  little  consequence,"  he  thought ;  "  for  had 
I  fired  ten  times,  I  should  never  have  hit  one." 

He  plunged  into  the  wood,  and  commenced  a  regular  and 
steady  ascent,  which  he  continued  even  after  the  fir-tree  had 
begun  to  dwindle  into  a  dwarfy  shrub,  and  the  beautiful 
wild  rhododendron  had  disappeared  altogether.  His  path  be- 
came steeper  and  more  rocky,  and  at  length  he  was  reduced 
to  the  necessity  of  creeping  round  the  intervening  obstacles, 
and  of  supporting  himself  by  the  few  plants  which  vegetated 
among  the  fissures  of  the  rocks.  Not  a  sound  broke  the 
silence  around  him  ;  the  moon  slowly  rose  above  the  darken- 
ing horizon,  which  was  slightly  streaked  with  a  faint  crimson 
tinge,  leaving  on  the  dim  grey  of  the  mountain  tops  the  still 
perceptible  reflection  of  the  fading  sunlight.  The  valleys 
were  in  the  deepest  shade,  and  from  the  dispersed  peasant- 
houses  lights  began  to  twinkle.  Hamilton  looked  carefully 
round  him,  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  his  position,  before  he 
descended  into  the  thick  wood  which  lay  beneath  him.  The 
falling  of  some  loose  stones  and  a  fragment  of  rock  in  his 
vicinity  made  him  start ;  but  immediately  supposing  it  to  be 
some  of  his  former  companions,  he  called  out  that  if  anyone 
were  there  he  wished  they  would  wait  for  him :  a  clattering 
of  stones  and  scampering  ensued,  accompanied  by  a  sharp 
sound,  perfectly  incomprehensible  to  him,  until  on  a  project- 
ing rock  far  above  him  he  perceived  three  chamois,  standing 
in  strong  relief  between  him  and  the  cloudless  sky,  and  gaz- 
ing irresolutely  around  them.  They  allowed  him  to  examine 
them  for  some  time,  as  the  distance  and  moonlight  would 
admit ;  but  as  he  endeavoured  to  approach  nearer,  they  sud- 
denly sprang  up  the  rocks,  and  sending  a  shower  of  stones, 
and  sand  over  him,  disappeared  in  a  few  seconds.  By  this 
time  he  had  lost  all  idea  of  where  he  might  be,  and  although 
extremely  unwilling  to  increase  his  distance  from  the  chalet, 
he  saw  the  absolute  necessity  of  still  climbing  in  order  to  see 
e  6* 


66  THE  INITIALS. 

into  the  Alpine  valley,  in  which  it  was  situated.  Perfectly 
unacquainted  with  the  irregularities  of  the  mountain,  he 
kept  as  much  as  possible  in  the  light,  following  occasionally 
what  he  supposed  to  be  paths,  but  which  were  in  fact  the 
stony  beds  of  the  mountain  rivulets,  formed  by  the  thawing 
snow  in  spring.  He  wandered  on  in  this  manner,  sometimes 
ascending,  sometimes  descending,  for  more  than  two  hours, 
looking  around  in  every  direction,  but  not  a  trace  could  he 
find  of  the  chalet,  nor,  indeed,  at  last,  of  any  habitation  what- 
ever. On  reaching  a  part  of  the  ridge  of  the  mountain,  he 
was  somewhat  startled  to  find  that  the  other  side  descended 
in  a  perpendicular  precipice  of  rock,  apparently  so  smooth 
and  destitute  of  verdure  that  it  might  be  supposed  a  wall. 
He  stopped — and  all  A.  Z.  had  said  to  him  recurred  at  once 
to  his  memory.  The  moon  was  still  too  young  to  remain 
visible  to  him  much  longer,  and  it  would  be  totally  dark  by 
the  time  he  reached  the  wood ;  he  saw  no  alternative  but  to 
stay  where  he  was  until  morning,  and  had  actually  chosen  a 
place  of  repose,  when  the  distant  sound  of  guns  fired  at 
regular  intervals,  made  him  imagine  that  he,  and  no  longer 
the  chamois,  was  the  object  of  pursuit.  A  faint  echo  of 
human  voices  too  reached  his  ear,  and  he  shouted  loudly  in 
answer.  A  frightfully  distinct  echo  from  the  mountain 
opposite  made  him  desist ;  he  feared  that  his  deliverers  might 
be  misled,  and  he  now  hurried  along  in  the  direction  from 
whence  the  welcome  sounds  had  first  reached  him.  Keeping 
on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  and  avoiding  any  place  where 
the  shadows  of  the  rocks  prevented  him  from  seeing  his  way 
distinctly,  he  walked  and  ran,  and  sprang  and  vaulted  with 
his  long  pole,  until  the  moon,  disappearing  behind  a  moun- 
tain, created  a  sort  of  half-night,  which  again  forced  him  to 
a  halt.  Suspecting  that  the  echo  had  misled  him,  and  fear- 
ing that  he  was  farther  than  ever  from  his  companions, 
he  perceived  without  regret  the  gradual  cessation  of  the 
treacherous  sounds,  and  at  length,  with  a  sort  of  desperate 
English  calmness,  he  seated  himself  on  the  ground,  and 
after  a  few  not  very  successful  efforts  to  place  himself  com- 
fortably against  a  sandy  bank,  he  took  a  cigar,  lighted  it, 
and  crossing  his  arms,  resigned  himself  to  his  fate.  The 
night  proved  darker  than  he  expected,  and  he  gazed  on  the 
starry  firmament  until  his  thoughts  became  confused,  and  his 
eyes  closed  in   heavy  slumber,  which  remained  unbroken 


AN  ALP.  67 

until  the  cold  breeze  of  breaking  day  caused  a  chill  to  pass 
through  his  stiffened  limbs.  He  rose,  and  looked  about  him 
with  astonishment  for  some  minutes,  and  then,  with  long 
strides,  began  a  rapid  descent. 

Great  was  afterwards  his  annoyance  to  find  that,  instead 
of  arriving,  as  he  had  expected,  at  the  chalet,  he  had  quite 
reached  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and  that  merely  a  narrow 
ravine  separated  him  from  another  of  precisely  the  same  de- 
scription. He  stood  for  a  moment  irresolute,  and  felt — very 
hungry.  The  sun  had  begun  to  colour  vividly  the  eastern 
sky,  and  after  a  little  consideration,  he  found  that  returning 
to  the  alp  would  oblige  him  to  mount  again,  and  he  was  still 
very  uncertain  in  what  direction  it  lay ;  whereas,  if  he  took 
another  course,  he  would  probably  in  an  hour  or  two  find 
some  opening  into  one  of  the  surrounding  roads,  where  he 
could  enter  the  first  peasant's  house  he  should  see,  and  pro- 
cure something  to  eat.  In  this  conjecture  he  was  perfectly 
right.  Sooner  than  he  had  dared  to  hope,  a  cheerful  house, 
prettily  situated  on  a  green  hill,  and  surrounded  by  fruit- 
trees,  rejoiced  his  eyes.  Some  wild  sunburnt  little  boys  and 
girls  announced  his  approach,  and  when  he  came  to  the  door 
he  found  a  large  family  assembled.  His  wants  were  soon 
made  known ;  and  a  table,  placed  before  the  wooden  bench 
which  ran  along  the  front  of  the  house,  was  soon  covered 
with  a  rustic,  but  not  frugal  breakfast — an  enormous  loaf  of 
dark-brown  bread,  a  basin  of  milk,  covered  with  thick  yellow 
cream,  some  pounds  of  butter,  honey,  cheese,  fried  eggs,  and 
a  sort  of  mashed-up  omelette,  called  Schmarn.  While  Hamil- 
ton was  eating,  the  peasant's  wife  stood  near,  her  youngest 
child  on  her  arm,  and  a  couple  of  others  leaning  against  her. 
She  assured  him  if  he  had  not  been  in  such  a  hurry  she  could 
have  made  some  coffee  for  him ;  she  always  bought  coffee  at 
the  fair,  and  drank  it  every  Sunday !  She  was  so  sorry  her 
husband  was  not  at  home,  but  she  expected  him  every  mo- 
ment ;  he  had  gone  up  to  the  alp  at  daybreak,  with  fresh 
rolls  for  the  breakfast  of  the  gentlemen  who  had  been  out 
shooting. 

As  she  spoke,  a  loud  gay  voice  was  heard  in  the  distance, 
jodling,  and  the  children  all  rushed  down  the  hill  and  dis- 
appeared in  the  wood. 

"  That  is  probably  your  husband,"  said  Hamilton ;  "  I 
shall  be  glad  to  hear  what  sport  they  have  had  on  the  alp." 


68  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Oh  !  you  were  there,  too, — perhaps — I  have  been  think- 
ing and  thinking  where  you  could  have  spent  the  night ;  you 
did  not  look  as  if  you  had  come  from  the  town !" 

"  I  dare  say  not,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing ;  "  most  prob- 
ably I  look  as  if  I  had  spent  the  night  among  the  rocks,  and 
that  is  actually  the  case ;  I  lost  my  way  yesterday  evening." 

The  peasant  soon  after  joined  them,  and  to  Hamilton's 
eager  inquiries  as  to  the  result  of  the  hunt,  replied  that  a 
chamois  had  been  shot  in  the  evening,  but  that  the  disappear- 
ance of  a  young  Englishman  who  had  gone  out  with  them 
had  spoiled  everything ;  they  had  searched   for  him  until 

dark,  and  that  Baron  Z had  been  out  to  look  for  him 

before  daybreak ;  even  the  ladies  had  joined  in  searching, 
and  one  of  them  had  been  up  nearly  to  the  top  of  one  of  the 
mountains  with  the  goatherd. 

"Good  heavens!"  cried  Hamilton,  springing  on  his  feet, 
"  they  are  searching  for  me.     I  must  go  to  them  directly." 

"  It  will  do  just  as  well  if  I  send  Peter  to  let  them  know 
you  are  here,"  said  the  peasant  calling  one  of  his  sons,  and 
giving  him  the  necessary  directions  :  after  which,  murmuring 
the  words,  "  with  your  leave,"  he  seated  himself  at  a  little 
distance,  and  glancing  towards  Hamilton's  outstretched  feet, 
he  observed  with  a  smile,  "  You  would  never  have  got  up 
and  down  the  alp  again  with  those  boots !" 

"  I  believe  you  are  right,"  answered  Hamilton,  listlessly 
moving  them  so  as  to  have  a  better  view  ;  "  they  certainly  do 
look  the  worse  for  wear.     I  never  was  so  ill  shod  in  my  life  !" 

"  I  dare  say  yesterday  you  might  have  danced  at  a  wedding 
in  them,  but  for  the  mountains  they  are  not  the  right  sort." 

"  Most  true,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  and  if  I  ever  make  an  ex- 
cursion of  this  kind  again,  I  shall  not  forget  it.  This  is  the 
first  time  in  my  life  that  I  have  been  in  a  mountainous 
country." 

"  And  yet  England  is  a  fine  country,  they  say?"  observed 
the  peasant,  interrogatively. 

Hamilton  assented  with  a  nod. 

"  I  have  heard  it  said  at  the  Golden  Lion  in  the  town,  that 
there  is  no  end  to  the  riches  of  the  English  !" 

"  Some  are  very  rich,  and  some  are  very  poor,"  answered 
Hamilton.  "  I  believe  the  means  of  living — the  necessaries 
of  life — are  more  equally  divided  among  the  inhabitants  of 
Germany." 


AN  ALP.  69 

"  "Well,  that  I  have  heard  too,"  said  the  man  :  "  and  now 
that  you  tell  me  there  are  no  mountains " 

"  Stay,"  cried  Hamilton,  laughing.  "  I  did  not  say  there 
were  no  mountains  ;  I  only  said  that  I  had  never  seen  them." 

"  But  all  the  Englishmen  I  have  ever  spoken  to " 

"  Are  not  very  many,"  said  Hamilton,  interrupting  him. 

"  More  than  you  think,  perhaps.  Before  my  father  gave 
up  the  house  and  ground  to  me,  I  was  for  many  years  with 
a  relation  in  Berchtesgaden,  and  used  to  row  most  of  the 
strangers  across  the  lake.  Queer  people  they  were,  too, 
sometimes !  One  gentleman  used  to  sit  for  hours  under  a 
tree  near  the  back  lake,  and  went  there  regularly  every  day 
for  several  summers.  The  last  time  I  saw  him,  he  said  when 
he  died  his  spirit  would  hover  around  that  tree — or  some- 
thing of  that  sort.  I  made  inquiries  about  him  lately,  and 
as  he  has  not  been  seen  for  a  long  time,  I  suppose  he  is  dead, 
and  should  not  at  all  like  to  go  to  that  part  of  the  lake  alone 
of  an  evening ;  for  though  I  don't  mind  taking  my  chance 
against  living  men,  I  am  mortally  afraid  of  the  dead — and 
that  Englishman  always  looked  half  dead,  with  his  pale  face 
and  sunken  cheeks.  It  was  dreadful  to  hear  him  cough  ;  and 
the  people  at  the  inn  said  he  never  was  quiet  at  night,  but 
wandered  incessantly  up  and  down  his  room.  They  said  he 
must  have  been  crossed  in  love " 

"  Most  probably  he  was  dying  of  consumption,"  said 
Hamilton. 

"  Very  likely ;  that  was  what  the  doctor  called  it.  He 
said  it  was  a  very  common  complaint  in  England — like  the 
rheumatism  here,  I  suppose.  What  my  poor  grandfather 
suffered  from  rheumatism  the  last  forty  years  of  his  life  is 
incredible  ;  but  he  walked  about  and  lived  all  the  same  to  be 
past  ninety  years  of  age — and  celebrated  his  golden  wedding 
too !" 

"  His  golden  what?" 

"  Wedding.  Perhaps  you  have  no  golden  or  silver  wed- 
ding in  England  ?" 

"  I  confess  I  never  heard  of  anything  of  the  kind,"  said 
Hamilton. 

"  Oh,  the  silver  wedding  is  only  on  the  twenty-fifth  anni- 
versary, and  most  people  can  celebrate  that ;  but  to  be  fifty 
years  married,  and  to  have  a  golden  wedding,  is  a  sort  of 
event  in  a  family.     Though  but  a  boy  at  the  time,  I  shall 


70  THE  INITIALS. 

never  forget  that  day.  This  house  was  quite  covered  with 
garlands,  and  all  the  neighbours  from  far  and  near  were 
assembled ;  and  my  grandfather  and  grandmother,  dressed 
in  their  wedding  dresses,  walked  in  procession  with  music 
to  the  church,  and  the  priest  married  them  over  again,  and 
preached  such  a  sermon  that  everyone  had  tears  in  their 
eyes.  We  had  a  dinner,  too,  at  the  Lion,  and  such  dancing 
and  singing ;  and  in  the  evening  there  was  no  end  to  the 
noise  and  shouting  when  they  drove  off  together  for  the 
second  time  as  bride  and  bridegroom !" 

"  How  I  should  like  to  see  such  a  wedding !  Is  there  no 
chance  of  one  now  in  the  neighbourhood  ?" 

"  Not  that  I  know  of.  It  is  a  rare  thing,  for  generally  a 
year  or  two  before  the  fifty  years  are  at  an  end  one  or  the 
other  dies.  The  very  wish  to  live  it  out,  carries  the  old 
people  off,  I  believe." 

"  Do  people  marry  early  here  ?" 

"  Not  often,  for  they  must  get  the  consent  of  the  parish, 
and  prove  that  they  can  support  a  family.  I  was  past  forty 
before  my  father  resigned  the  house  and  land  to  me." 

"  So  he  gave  it  to  you  during  his  lifetime  ?  Is  that  often 
done?" 

"  Very  often.  I  was  to  pay  him  a  pension,  and  he  in- 
tended to  remove  to  the  town ;  but  he  could  not  leave  the 
place,  and  so  we  all  lived  together  until  his  death.  My 
mother  is  still  alive.  You  may  have  seen  her  on  the  alp : 
she  is  always  wandering  about  there." 

"  Was  your  father  obliged  to  ask  the  consent  of  your 
landlord  when  he  resigned  ?" 

"  He  was  obliged  to  get  the  consent  of  government,  and  I 
had  to  pay  the  usual  fine  of  five  per  cent,  of  the  value  of 
my  house  and  ground." 

"  Then  you  have  no  lease?" 

"  Lease?     No,  we  have  no  lease." 

"  And  your  land  is  hereditary  in  your  family  ?" 

"  Yes ;  we  have  the  usual  taxes  to  pay,  and  we  have  fines 
in  cases  of  death,  succession,  or  exchange  of  land." 

"  Could  you  sell  your  property  if  you  wished  it?" 

"  No  doubt — if  I  obtained  the  consent  of  government ; 
but  who  would  sell  their  land  and  be  without  house  or 
home?" 

"  I  suppose  it  is  always  the  eldest  son  who  inherits  ?" 


SECULARISED  CLOISTERS.  71 

"  No  ;  we  oan  make  whichever  child  we  please  our  heir ; 
but  we  generally  choose  the  eldest  son,  who  pays  the  other 
children  what  is  left  them  by  will." 

The  peasant's  wife  drew  near,  and  afterwards  the  children 
gathered  round  them ;  their  mother,  in  the  pride  of  her 
heart,  telling  them  to  fetch  their  copy-books,  and  show  the 
gentleman  how  well  they  could  write.  He  had  not  finished 
the  inspection  or  praised  them  half  as  much  as  they  deserved 

when  the  Z s  and  their  companions  advanced  from  the 

wood,  when  joyful  recognition  and  long  explanations  com- 
pletely changed  the  current  of  his  thoughts. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

SECULARISED  CLOISTERS. 

When  Hamilton  returned  to  Seon  he  found  there  an 
addition  to  the  guests  he  had  left,  in  the  person  of  Count 
Zedwitz's  son,  a  young  officer  who  had  come  to  spend 
part  of  his  leave  of  absence  with  his  family.  His  appear- 
ance was  prepossessing,  notwithstanding  his  very  decided 
ugliness ;  for  his  yellow  hair,  impertinently  degenerating 
into  red  in  his  bushy  mustachios,  nearly  concealed  a  mouth 
of  enormous  proportions,  and  heightened  the  whiteness  of 
his  teeth  of  faultless  purity,  but  unusually  large  and  of  irregu- 
lar form.  The  almost  flaxen  eyebrows  protruded  far  beyond 
eyes  which  were  small  and  light-coloured,  but  full  of  intelli- 
gence; the  nose  thick,  of  indefinite  form,  and  a  forehead 
which  would  have  delighted  Gall,  Spurzheim,  or  Combe,  but 
from  which  a  painter's  eye  would  have  turned  away  to 
seek  some  more  pleasing  object.  His  figure  was  tall  and 
well-proportioned,  but,  notwithstanding  his  youth,  already 
denoted  an  inclination  to  stoutness. 

Hamilton  found  him  an  agreeable  companion ;  indeed, 
everyone  seemed  to  like  him,  especially  Mademoiselle  Hilde- 
garde,  who,  Hamilton  imagined,  received  his  unobtrusive  at- 
tentions with  undisguised  satisfaction  ;  nor  was  it  long  before 
he  discovered  a  sort  of  avoidance  of  his  society  on  the  part 


72  THE  INITIALS. 

of  both  sisters.  Crescenz,  indeed,  looked  at  him  sometimes, 
but  the  moment  her  eye  caught  his  it  was  averted,  and  a 
blush  was  sure  to  follow.  Hildegarde  never  looked  at  him 
at  all.  They  whispered  together  continually,  took  long 
walks  alone,  and  became  every  day  more  melancholy.  In 
short,  there  was  something  mysterious  in  their  manner  which 
excited  Hamilton's  curiosity,  and  he  determined  to  see  Cres- 
cenz, if  possible,  alone  for  half  an  hour,  and  question  her 
on  the  subject;  but  this  was  not  easily  managed,  for  Hilde- 
garde seldom  left  her  side,  and  were  ~he  present  there  was 
no  chance  of  hearing  anything.  He  commenced  a  system 
of  watching,  which  Crescenz  unfortunately  misinterpreted, 
while  Hildegarde  remained  perfectly  unconscious  of  it;  he 
did  not  apparently  interest  her  sufficiently  to  make  her  ob- 
serve his  movements ;  but  Crescenz's  blushes  increased  daily, 
and  even  her  sister's  presence  could  not  prevent  her  from 
sometimes  entering  into  conversation  with  him.  He  asked 
her  once  if  Seon  had  disappointed  her — if  she  were  tired  of 
it ;  and  then,  in  a  low  voice,  why  she  looked  so  sorrowful.  A 
blush,  a  reproachful  look,  and  eyes  suddenly  full  of  tears  was  the 
only  reply  he  received.  Hildegarde,  who  had  partly  heard  the 
questions,  drew  her  sister's  arm  within  hers  and  left  him  alone 
to  think  over  all  possible  causes,  but  in  vain ;  he  then  turned  his 
observations  towards  her  stepmother,  but  there  he  was  com- 
pletely at  fault.  She  was  very  kind  in  her  manner  to  Crescenz, 
while  to  Hildegarde  she  seemed  to  have  increased  in  severity. 
One  day  Crescenz  descended  to  dinner  with  eyelids  so 
swelled  from  crying  that  her  eyes  were  almost  closed,  her 
sister  so  pale  that  Hamilton  expected  every  moment  she 
would  faint ;  after  a  few  ineffectual  efforts  to  swallow,  they 
rose  suddenly  and  left  the  room  together.  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, who  was  sitting  beside  Major  Stultz,  made  some  hasty 
remark,  and  followed  them.  She  had  not,  however,  been 
absent  more  than  a  few  minutes  when  she  returned  with 
Hildegarde,  and  pointing  angrily  to  her  place  at  the  table 
desired  her  "  to  sit  down  there,  and  leave  her  sister  in  peace." 
She  obeyed,  but  made  no  attempt  whatever  to  eat.  Young 
Zedwitz,  who  had  established  a  sort  of  right  to  sit  beside 
her,  endeavoured  to  begin  a  conversation  ;  without  raising 
her  eyes,  she  said  a  few  words  in  a  low  voice  which  at  once 
made  him  desist,  and  he  scarcely  looked  at  her  again  during 
the  time  she  remained  at  table. 


SECULARISED  CLOISTERS.  73 

It  was  a  magnificent  afternoon,  and  Hamilton  was  burning 
with  curiosity  which  he  had  determined  to  satisfy  by  some 
desperate  effort  during  the  course  of  it ;  his  dismay  was, 
therefore,  great,  when  he  found  himself  seized  upon  by  old 
Count  Zedwitz  and  carried  off  to  his  room  for  a  dissertation 
on  the  water-cure  !  As  a  reward,  or  rather  punishment,  for 
the  exaggerated  expressions  of  interest  lavished  upon  cold 
water  on  a  former  occasion,  a  manuscript  was  confidentially 
produced,  written  by  himself,  intended  for  publication,  and 
of  which  he  proposed  Hamilton's  making  a  translation  for 
the  benefit  of  his  countrymen  !  He  commenced  slowly  read- 
ing aloud,  occasionally  stopping  to  make  alterations  and  cor- 
rections, while  Hamilton  gazed  wistfully  out  of  the  open 
window  at  the  sunny  landscape,  his  thoughts  wandering 
unrestrainedly  to  Crescenz  and  her  sister.  They  would  have 
gone  out  to  walk,  and  he  should  probably  not  see  them  until 
supper-time.  Zedwitz  would,  of  course,  contrive  to  join 
their  party,  as  he  was  evidently  getting  up  a  serious  flirta- 
tion with  Hildegarde ;  he,  for  his  part,  rather  preferred 
Crescenz,  who  he  was  sure  he  could  persuade  to  give  him  a 
rendezvous — perhaps  even  in  the  cloisters  !  Five  minutes — 
only  five  minutes  without  her  sister — he  composed  the  most 
appropriate  speeches,  and  the  running  accompaniment  to  his 
thoughts,  formed  by  Count  Zedwitz's  manuscript,  almost 
made  him  laugh  in  spite  of  himself  and  his  annoyance. 

At  length  the  sound  of  gay  voices  in  the  garden  beneath 
brought  his  impatience  to  a  crisis ;  he  sprang  from  his  chair, 
placed  his  head  in  his  hands,  and  declared  he  had  such  a 
violent  headache  that  he  must  beg  to  defer  the  conclusion 
of  the  manuscript  until  the  next  day. 

"  Headache !  My  dear  sir,  if  you  would  not  think  me 
unfeeling,  I  should  say  that  I  rejoice  to  hear  it!  I  shall 
now  be  able  to  make  a  convert  of  you  at  once.  Headache, 
be  it  nervous  or  rheumatic,  can  be  cured  by  placing  the  feet 
in  a  tub  of  cold  water,  and  rolling  wet  cloths  round  the 
head." 

"  I  think  a  quick  walk  would  set  me  to  rights  in  a  very 
short  time ;  and  as  I  hear  your  son  singing  in  the  garden, 
perhaps  I  shall  be  able  to  persuade  him  to  join  me." 

"  If  you  don't  like  the  foot-bath,  try  a  little  sweating  in 
cloths — indeed,  it  will  cure  you — pray,  try  it." 

"  My  dear  Count — my  headache  is  of  a  very  peculiar 
d  7 


74  THE  INITIALS. 

kind;  I  am  subject  to  it,  and  have  given  it  the  name  of 
*  bored  headache.'  I  know  from  experience  that  nothing 
but  a  walk  can  cure  me." 

"  Bored  headache  !  To  bore — to  penetrate — to  pierce — to 
bore  with  a  gimlet !  You  feel,  perhaps,  as  if  some  one  had 
been  boring  at  your  head,"  and  he  suited  the  action  to  the 
words. 

"  Precisely — exactly.  In  such  cases  I  require  violent 
exercise " 

"  But,  I  assure  you,"  he  persisted,  "  the  cold  stupes  would 
have  the  same  effect ;  I  should  still,  merely  to  convince  you, 
recommend  sweating  in " 

"  Excuse  me  this  time,"  said  Hamilton,  hurriedly,  "  and 
to-morrow,  if  you  will  have  the  kindness  to  read  me  your 
manuscript,  I  shall  be  able  to  appreciate  its  merits  as  it 
deserves." 

While  the  Count  was  taking  off  his  spectacles,  Hamilton, 
with  his  hand  pressed  on  his  forehead,  left  the  room  as  if 
he  were  suffering  tortures.  It  was  fortunate  that  the  old 
man's  rheumatism  prevented  his  looking  after  him,  as  he 
ran  along  the  corridor  and  bounded  down  the  staircase  into 
the  garden  !  Young  Zedwitz  was  gone,  and  his  mother  and 
sister  were  standing  so  near  the  door  that,  in  the  eagerness 
of  flight,  Hamilton  stumbled  against  them.  He  apologised, 
and  then  asked  for  Count  Max,  whom  he  said  he  expected 
to  have  found  in  the  garden. 

"  He  was  here  a  minute  ago,"  answered  she,  "  but  is  gone 
to  look  for  somebody  or  something ;  I  did  not  quite  under- 
stand what  he  said." 

"  It  is  very  unkind  of  Max  not  to  walk  with  us,"  observed 
the  young  lady,  with  some  irritation  ;  "  he  knows  how  dread- 
fully afraid  I  am  of  cows  and  dogs." 

Hamilton  thought  she  looked  at  him  as  if  she  expected 
that  he  should  offer  to  accompany  her  in  the  character  of 
protector.  This,  however,  he  resolved  not  to  do,  and  was  in 
the  act  of  retiring  when  the  old  Countess  exclaimed :  "  Oh, 
Mr.  Hamilton,  if  you  are  not  otherwise  engaged,  perhaps 
you  will  accompany  us  in  our  walk?  My  daughter  is  so 
easily  frightened  that  she  cannot  go  any  distance  without 
someone  to  chase  away  the  cattle." 

Hamilton  felt  doomed.  The  request  had  not  been  made 
in  the  most  flattering  terms,  it  is  true,  but  he  could  not  do 


SECULARISED   CLOISTERS.  75 

otherwise  than  acquiesce.  The  thought  that  young  Zedwitz 
was  at  that  moment,  perhaps,  walking  with  the  sisters,  did 
not  make  him  feel  amiably  disposed,  and  he  was  considerably 
out  of  temper  when  he  commenced  his  walk.  This  could 
not,  however,  continue,  for  both  his  companions  were  agree- 
able ;  and  though  the  old  Countess  suffered  considerably 
from  asthma  in  ascending  the  hills,  she  contrived,  neverthe- 
less to  commence  a  conversation,  as  it  appeared  to  Hamilton 
at  first,  in  order  to  learn  something  of  him  or  his  family. 
Not,  however,  finding  him  disposed  to  be  communicative, 
she  desisted  from  anything  but  indirect  observations,  which 
rather  amused  him  than  otherwise,  and  then  spoke  unre- 
servedly of  her  own  affairs. 

"  They  lived  on  one  of  their  estates,  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Munich,  but  they  had  spent  the  last  two  winters  in  the 
latter  place,  on  account  of  their  daughter.  It  had  not 
agreed  with  the  Count,  and  as  her  daughter  was  now  braut 
(a  bride),  that  is,  engaged  to  be  married,  they  should  in 
future  live  altogether  in  the  country.     They  had  another 

residence  in  the  mountains,  near  Baron  Z ,  which  she 

would  greatly  prefer,  but  the  Count  fancied  the  mountain 
air  increased  his  rheumatism.  She  supposed  her  son  had 
told  him  all  this,  however." 

"  Our  conversation  has  been  principally  about  Munich, 
and  he  has  persuaded  me  to  spend  next  winter  there." 

"  Were  your  movements  so  uncertain  ?  Do  your  parents 
leave  you  completely  at  liberty?" 

"  Completely.  I  can  spend  the  winter  at  Vienna,  Berlin, 
Dresden,  or  Munich." 

The  conversation  was  changed,  and  Hamilton  was  so 
pleased  with  both  his  companions  that  he  was  actually  sorry 
when  they  reached  Seon,  though  the  walk  had  been  long,  and 
it  was  so  late  that  the  guests  were  assembling  for  supper. 

"Where  are  my  girls?  Are  they  not  yet  returned?" 
asked  Madame  Bosenberg. 

No  one  had  seen  them. 

"  They  were  with  me  the  whole  morning,"  she  continued, 
"  and  only  went  out  half  an  hour  ago  to  the  church  on  the 
other  side  of  the  water.  Perhaps  Mr.  Hamilton  will  be  so 
kind  as  to  call  them  to  supper." 

"  Let  me  go  with  you,"  cried  young  Zedwitz,  starting  from 
his  chair. 


76  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Thank  you — I  can  find  them  without  your  assistance," 
he  replied  ;  and  then  added,  maliciously  laughing,  "  I  know 
you  have  been  lounging  about  this  little  lake  all  day,  my 
good  fellow,  and  must  be  as  tired  of  it  as  a  sentinel  of  his 
post." 

Zedwitz  laughed  too,  but  he  was  not  so  easily  put  off — he 
took  Hamilton's  arm,  and  they  sallied  forth  together. 

"  You  were  long  on  guard  to-day,  Zedwitz,  from  dinner- 
time until  now  !" 

"  How  did  you  like  being  caught  to  drive  away  the  cows  ? 
I  saw  you  being  led  off." 

"  At  first  I  did  not  like  it  at  all — afterwards,  very  much. 
I  have  taken  a  great  fancy  to  your  mother — still  more  to 
your  sister." 

"  My  sister  is  the  dearest  little  soul  in  the  world.  If  you 
but  knew  her  as  well  as  I  do  !  I  am  very  sorry  she  is  to  be 
married  so  soon — her  loss  will  to  me  be  irreparable,  and  our 
house  so  intolerably  dull  without  her,  that  I  shall  be  under 
the  necessity  of  choosing  a  wife  with  as  little  delay  as  pos- 
sible." 

"  Your  mother  told  me  she  expects  you  will  make  a  most 
desirable  marriage." 

"  With  my  ugly  face? — that  is  not  probable." 

"  I  understand  from  the  Countess,  that  you,  as  well  as  your 
sister,  were  already  engaged." 

"  By  no  means — certainly  not,"  cried  Zedwitz,  with  a 
vehemence  incomprehensible  to  Hamilton;  "joining  handr 
for  the  purpose  of  joining  estates  is  not  at  all  to  my  taste." 

"  I  should  suppose  not,"  observed  Hamilton,  carelessly ; 
and  a  long  pause  ensued.  At  length  Zedwitz  observed, 
abruptly  :  "  My  parents  are  anxious  for  me  to  quit  the  army, 
and  marry ;  and,  yet,  I  am  convinced,  that  when  I  propose 
doing  so  they  will  object  to  the  person  I  have  chosen.  In 
spite  of  my  ugliness,  or  rather,  perhaps,  on  account  of  it, 
personal  beauty  has  a  value  in  my  eyes  beyond  what  it 
deserves.     I  could  not  marry  an  ugly  woman — could  you  ?" 

"  I  have  never  thought  much  on  the  subject,"  replied 
Hamilton,  laughing.  "  My  parents  have  strictly  forbidden 
all  such  thoughts  on  my  part  for  the  next  ten  years  at  least." 

They  now  began  to  cross  the  shallow  part  of  Seon  Lake, 
on  a  narrow,  wooden  bridge,  so  narrow  that  it  was  incon- 
venient for  more  than  two  persons  to  walk  abreast.     When 


SECULARISED   CLOISTERS.  77 

they  had  reached  the  slope  leading  up  to  the  church  on  the 
other  side,  Hamilton  suddenly  stopped  and  asked  Count 
Zedwitz  what  "  Hildegarde  had  said  to  him  at  dinner  which 
had  so  effectually  silenced  him  ?" 

"  She  told  me  not  to  speak  to  her,  as  she  could  not  answer 
me." 

"  Was  that  all  ?" 

"  But  she  gave  me  some  hope  that  she  would  tell  me  why 
on  some  future  occasion,  and  I  was  satisfied." 

"  There  is  some  mystery  in  the  family  !  Don't  you  think 
so?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  I  am  quite  convinced  of  it.  Those  poor  girls  seem  very 
unhappily  situated.     I  really  pity  them." 

"  I  both  pity  and  admire  them,"  cried  Hamilton ;  "  and 
moreover,  I  am  exceedingly  anxious  to  find  out  this  same 
mystery.  Let  us  start  fair  and  see  who  will  first  obtain 
information." 

"  Agreed." 

"  My  chances  are  but  small,"  observed  Hamilton  ;  "  with 
me  both  the  young  ladies  are  shy,  and  I  myself  am  still 
more  so." 

"  You  shy  !"  exclaimed  Zedwitz,  laughing. 

"  What !  You  don't  believe  me  !  You  must  have  observed 
how  I  blush  for  the  merest  trifle." 

"  Oh,  yes — you  blush,  but  it  seems  to  be  constitutional, 
however,  for  I  never  saw  anyone  of  your   age  so  self-pos- 


"  My  dear  Count,  you  quite  mistake  my  character,  I  assure 
you — it  is  a  sort  of — anomaly ;  a  mixture  of  modesty  and 
assurance ' ' 

"  Assurance,  perhaps — sometimes — the  modesty  I  have 
never  observed."  He  stopped  and  pointed  to  the  two  sisters, 
who  were  sitting  on  the  trunk  of  a  prostrate  tree  in  a  neigh- 
bouring field,  their  hands  clasped  firmly  together,  and  each 
separately  exhibiting  a  picture  of  grief  which,  independent 
of  the  youth  and  beauty  of  the  mourners,  was  interesting 
from  the  difference  of  its  expression.  Crescenz  seemed  quite 
subdued  from  excessive  sorrow,  her  whole  form  drooped,  and 
she  wept  in  silence,  the  tears  coursing  each  other  over  her 
youthful  cheeks  unrestrainedly.  Hildegarde  held  a  letter 
tightly  pressed  in  her  hand,  and  looked  upwards.  She  might 
have  been  praying ;  but  it  seemed  to  Hamilton  as  if  the  eyes 

7* 


78  THE  INITIALS. 

remained  upturned  to  prevent  the  falling  of  the  tears  which 
had  gathered  in  the  underlids — an  occasional  almost  imper- 
ceptible movement  of  the  corners  of  the  mouth,  and  an 
evident  difficulty  of  swallowing,  confirmed  this  idea. 

"  Beautiful  creature  !"  exclaimed  Zedwitz,  enthusiastically. 

Hildegarde  stooped  towards  her  sister,  and,  it  seemed, 
whispered  some  words  of  comfort,  for  the  other  looked  up 
and  attempted  to  smile. 

"  Hamilton,  let  us  return  towards  the  lake ;  it  would  be 
cruel  to  take  them  by  surprise.  We  must  talk  loud,  or  in 
some  way  give  them  notice  of  our  approach."  He  turned 
away  as  he  spoke,  and  so  effectually  did  he  put  his  intentions 
in  practice,  that  when  they  again  approached  the  sisters,  they 
were  walking  apparently  unconcernedly  towards  the  church, 
and  on  hearing  that  they  were  expected  to  supper,  quietly 
led  the  way  to  the  wooden-bridge.  Zedwitz  and  Hamilton 
now  commenced  maneuvring ;  but  as  their  intentions  were 
similar,  and  the  object  not  to  engage  the  same  person,  they 
were  almost  immediately  successful.  Zedwitz  seemed,  indeed, 
at  first  determined  that  Hamilton  should  lead  the  way  with 
Crescenz ;  but  the  latter  soon  gave  him  to  understand  that 
that  would  never  answer,  and  after  a  few  frowns,  and  shrugs, 
and  shoves,  he  followed  Hildegarde,  who  was  already  on  the 
bridge. 

Hamilton  approached  Crescenz  and  whispered  hurriedly : 
"  What  is  the  matter  ?  Why  are  you  so  unhappy  ?  What  on 
earth  has  occurred  during  my  absence  from  Seon?" 

"  Nothing,  nothing  !  Nothing  has  occurred  which  can  in 
any  way  interest  you,"  she  replied  walking  quickly  on. 

"  You  are  unkind,  mademoiselle,"  said  Hamilton,  slowly 
and  reproachfully — "  unnecessarily  unkind.  From  the  com- 
mencement of  our  acquaintance,  short  as  it  has  been,  I  have 
felt  the  greatest  interest  in  all  that  concerns  you.  I  see  you 
unhappy — wish  to  offer  any  consolation  in  my  power — and 
am  treated  with  disdain." 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  treat  you  with  disdain,"  said  Crescenz, 
softening,  and  walking  more  slowly. 

"  Your  sister  is  not  so  cruel  to  Count  Zedwitz."  In  fact,  they 
were  just  then  speaking  rather  earnestly.  This  had  great  effect. 

"  What  do  you  wish  to  know  ?"  she  asked,  gently. 

"  I  wish  to  know  the  cause  of  your  unhappiness.  I  wish 
to  know  why  you  avoid  me." 


SECULARISED   CLOISTERS.  79 

"  That  I  cannot  tell  you  so  easily !  You  will  hear,  per- 
haps— but  you  will  not  understand  what — that  is — how — I 
mean  to  say  why  I  could  not  refuse.  I — I  cannot  tell  you," 
she  cried,  bursting  into  tears,  and  walking  on  so  quickly  that 
she  had  nearly  reached  her  sister  before  Hamilton  could  say 
in  a  whisper,  "  To-night,  at  the  foot  of  the  broad  staircase 
leading  to  the  cloisters — may  I  expect  you  ?" 

"No,  no,  no !" 

"  There  will  be  moonlight ;  at  nine  o'clock  I  shall  be 
there." 

"  Oh,  no — not  for  the  world  I" 

"  The  staircase  is  quite  close  to  your  room  ;  grant  me  bu£ 
five  minutes  only." 

Her  sister  looked  round,  and,  to  prevent  further  discussion, 
he  added  urgently,  but  looking  at  the  same  time  with  affected 
unconcern  across  the  lake — 

"  You  must  come,  or  I  shall  spend  the  whole  night  in  the 
cloisters  waiting  for  you." 

It  was  in  vain  she  now  endeavoured  to  refuse ;  he  was 
deaf  to  all  excuses,  and  walked  purposely  so  near  her  sister 
that  she  was  obliged  to  give  up  the  attempt. 

Before  they  entered  the  house,  Zedwitz  whispered  tri- 
umphantly :  "  I  shall  know  all  to-morrow  morning." 

"  And  I  to-night,"  replied  Hamilton. 

"What?  when?  how?  where?" 

"  That  is  my  affair,  not  yours." 

"  I  shall  find  out,  you  may  depend  upon  it." 

"I  defy  you,"  cried  Hamilton,  laughing;  but  the  next 
moment,  heartily  regretting  his  foolish  boast,  he  thought  for 
a  moment  of  telling  him  his  purpose,  but  the  fear  of  com- 
promising Crescenz  deterred  him,  and  soon  afterwards  per- 
ceiving him  earnestly  engaged  in  conversation  with  Hilde- 
garde,  he  hoped  he  would  forget  all  about  the  matter. 

After  supper,  Madame  Rosenberg,  as  usual,  produced  her 
knitting,  and  Hamilton  began  a  listless  sort  of  conversation 
with  her,  which  lasted  until  her  daughter  had  left  the  room  ; 
it  suddenly,  however,  took  a  turn  which  rendered  it  to  Ham- 
ilton interesting  in  the  extreme.  She  had,  according  to  her 
own  account,  a  most  particular  fancy  for  all  Englishmen. 
They  were  such  agreeable  companions ;  gave  no  trouble  at 
all ;  she  had  now  reason  to  know,  for  she  had  had  English- 
men lodging  in  her  house  for  the  last  three  years.     She  had 


80  THE  INITIALS. 

two  furnished  rooms,  which  she  always  let,  and  from  experi- 
ence she  now  knew  that  Englishmen  were  in  every  respect 
desirable  lodgers.  Need  it  be  said  that  "  on  this  hint"  Ham- 
ilton had  spoken,  and  that  in  a  very  short  time  an  arrange- 
ment for  board  and  lodging  was  concluded  to  their  mutual 
satisfaction.  It  was  then  that  she  launched  into  praises  of 
his  nation,  ending  with  the  remark  that  nothing  would  in- 
duce her,  now  that  her  step-daughters  were  at  home,  to  re- 
ceive any  but  Englishmen  under  her  roof.  "  They  were 
accustomed  to  domestic  life,  to  female  society,  and  did  not 
think  it  necessary  to  talk  nonsense  to  every  girl  with  whom 
they  happened  to  be  five  minutes  alone.  Did  he  know  Mr 
Smith?" 

Hamilton  believed  he  knew  two  or  three  Smiths. 

"I  mean  a  Mr.  Howard  Seymour  Smyth." 

"  No  ;"  Hamilton  knew  more  Howards  and  Seymours  than 
Smiths,  he  was  happy  in  the  consciousness. 

"  Perhaps  you  know  Captain  Black  ?" 

"  I  have  not  the  pleasure  of  his  acquaintance." 

"  He  was  a  most  delightful  person  ;  lodged  with  us  last 
year  ;  dined,  however,  at  Havard's  table  d'hote.  You  will  be 
the  first  who  has  actually  become  a  member  of  the  family, 
as  I  may  say.  I  wonder  what  Rosenberg  will  think  of  the 
arrangement  ?" 

"  May  I  beg  of  you  to  write  to  him  to-morrow  on  the  sub- 
ject, as  I  have  already  given  a  sort  of  commission  to  the 
Baroness  Z and " 

"  Oh,  dear !  there's  no  necessity  for  writing  ;  I  always  ar- 
range these  things  alone ;  you  have  nothing  whatever  to  do 
with  him  !" 

"  In  that  case  I  may  consider  the  affair  as  arranged,"  said 
Hamilton,  rising  and  going  towards  the  side-table  for  his 
candle.     She  rose,  too,  and  they  ascended  the  stairs  together. 

"  I  shall  do  everything  in  my  power  to  make  you  comfort- 
able and  at  home  in  our  house,"  she  said,  when  wishing  him 
good-night. 

As  he  entered  his  room,  the  great  clock  struck  nine.  He 
placed,  with  some  natural  trepidation,  his  candle  behind  the 
stove,  and  locked  his  door  carefully,  to  prevent  Zedwitz, 
should  he  come,  from  ascertaining  whether  he  were  there  or 
not.  "  He  will  think,  perhaps,  that  I  am  in  bed  and  asleep 
if  he  get  no  answer,"  was  his  wise  reflection,  as  he  dropped 


SECULARISED   CLOISTERS.  81 

the  key  into  his  pocket,  and  commenced  walking  on  tiptoe 
towards  the  place  of  appointment.  A  few  moments'  thought 
convinced  him  that  there  was  no  necessity,  whatever,  for 
concealment,  until  he  had  reached  the  lower  passages,  where 
there  were  flower-stands,  gardening  tools,  old  doors,  casks, 
and  all  sorts  of  lumber  heaped  up,  as  if  on  purpose  to  make 
places  of  retreat  for  gentlemen  in  his  situation.  He  en- 
sconced himself  behind  a  spacious  beer-barrel  and  waited 
patiently  until  he  heard  a  step  on  the  stairs.  Keeping  care- 
fully in  the  dark,  he  whispered,  "  I  am  here,  give  me  your 
hand."  But  no  hand  was  given  ;  on  the  contrary,  a  scam- 
pering up  stairs,  three  or  four  steps  at  a  time,  ensued,  which 
was  at  first  perfectly  incomprehensible.  Hamilton  afterwards 
supposed  that  Crescenz  had  heard  some  noise  in  the  corridor, 
and  must  wait  for  a  better  opportunity.  Again  he  placed 
himself  behind  the  friendly  cask,  and  waited  upwards  of  a 
half  an  hour.  At  the  end  of  that  time  an  odd,  rustling 
noise  among  the  lumber  made  him  start ;  but  muttering  the 
word  "  rats,"  he  flung  an  old  rake  in  the  direction  from 
whence  it  came,  and  all  was  still  again.  It  had  become  so 
much  darker  that  he  now  took  up  his  post  near  the  staircase, 
and  soon  after  Crescenz  appeared,  looking  timidly  down  into 
the  obscurity.  "  I  am  here,  do  not  be  afraid ;  there  is  no 
one  near,"  cried  Hamilton,  softly  advancing  towards  her. 

"  I  have  only  come — to  say — that — that  I  cannot  come." 

Hamilton  in  vain  endeavoured  to  repress  a  smile.  "  Well, 
come  down  the  stairs,  and  at  least  tell  me  why  !" 

She  descended  a  few  steps. 

"  Well !  why  ?" 

"  Because  I  have  not  courage  ;  I  am  always  afraid  in  the 
dark." 

"  But  it  is  not  dark  in  the  cloisters ;  there  is  the  most 
beautiful  moonlight  imaginable  !     Come." 

"  Would  not  to-morrow  at  six  o'clock,  in  the  garden,  do  as 
well  ?" 

"  I  cannot  hear  you,"  answered  Hamilton,  becoming  sud- 
denly deaf;  "  and  you  had  better  not  speak  too  distinctly,  as 
you  may  be  heard  by  some  one  crossing  the  passage." 

"  To-morrow  morning  in  the  garden,"  she  softly  repeated, 
descending  close  to  where  he  stood. 

"  I  have  been  waiting  nearly  an  hour !"  was  the  answer 
which  he  gave,  in  order  to  change  her  thoughts. 
/ 


82  THE  INITIALS. 

"I  could  not  help  it;  Hildegarde  has  only  just  fallen 
asleep." 

"  We  must  not  remain  here,  or  we  shall  certainly  be  over- 
heard.    Come,"  he  whispered,  drawing  her  arm  within  his. 

"  I  cannot — I  cannot — to-morrow  before  breakfast,  or  when 
you  will ;  but  not  now.     Let  me  go  !  oh,  let  me  go  !" 

And  he  would  have  let  her  go ;  but  the  thoughts  of  Zed- 
witz's  raillery  made  him  resolute.  His  first  thought  was  to 
carry  her  off;  but  that  appearing  too  strong  a  measure,  he 
contented  himself  with  holding  her  hand  fast  while  pouring 
forth  a  volley  of  reproaches. 

"  And  now,"  he  concluded  with  an  affectation  of  reason- 
ing, "  now  that  you  are  so  far,  why  retreat  ?  Everyone  is 
in  bed ;  no  human  being  in  the  cloisters.  I  ask  but  five 
minutes,  but  I  would  speak  with  you  alone — unrestrained." 

And  while  he  was  speaking  he  had  contrived  to  make  her 
move  along  the  passage.  A  moment  after,  they  had  reached 
the  quadrangle,  and  stood  in  silent  admiration  of  the  calm 
seclusion  of  the  spot.  The  echo  of  their  footsteps  was  the 
only  sound  they  heard ;  and  the  bright  moonbeams  not  only 
lighted  the  monuments  erected  against  the  wall,  but  rendered 
almost  legible  the  epitaphs  of  those  whose  tombstones  com- 
posed the  pavement. 

He  led  Crescenz  to  a  seat  near  the  monument  to  the 
founder  of  the  monastery,  Count  Aribo,  and  waited  for  her 
to  speak  ;  she  had,  however,  no  inclination  to  begin,  but  sat 
in  a  deep  revery,  looking  fixedly  on  the  ground  ;  and,  as  it 
seemed,  more  inclined  to  be  sentimental  than  communicative. 

Hamilton,  more  conscious  than  she  was  of  the  impropriety 
of  her  situation,  and  fearing  that  they  might  be  seen  by  some 
of  the  servants,  at  length  exclaimed,  with  some  impatience : 

"  Do  not  let  us  lose  these  precious  moments,  but  tell  me  at 
once  what  has  occurred." 

Crescenz  became  agitated,  covered  her  face  with  her 
hands,  but  remained  silent. 

"  For  heaven's  sake  tell  me  what  is  the  matter?" 

"  I  am  very,  very  unhappy  !"  sobbed  the  poor  girl. 

"  But  why — why  are  you  unhappy  ?" 

"  Because  I — I  am  going  to  be  married  !" 

"  Married  ! — To  whom  are  you  going  to  be  married  ?" 

"  To— to  Major  Stultz." 

"  Major  Stultz  ! — Why,  this  must  be  a  very  sudden  busi- 


SECULARISED  CLOISTERS.  83 

ness,  indeed.  Before  I  left  Seon  he  seemed  much  more 
inclined  to  marry  your  sister  than  you  !" 

"  Oh,  of  course  he  would  rather  have  Hildegarde,  because 
she  is  so  much  cleverer  and  handsomer  than  I  am  ;  but  she 
would  not  listen  to  him,  and  called  him  an  old  fool !" 

"  I  admire  her  candour,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  And  then  she  got  into  a  passion  when  he  persevered,  and 
slapped  him  on  the  mouth  !" 

"  Slapped  him  on  the  mouth  !" 

"  Yes,  when  he  attempted  to  kiss  her  hand ;  at  least  he 
says  so ;  and  Hildegarde  thinks  it  may  be  true,  as  she  was 
angry  and  struggled  very  hard  to  release  her  hand.  He  told 
mamma  that  he  would  not  marry  her  now  if  she  were  ten 
times  handsomer,  and  a  princess  into  the  bargain  !" 

"  She  seems  of  rather  a  passionate  temperament." 

"  Passionate  !  yes,  she  sometimes  gets  into  a  passion,  but 
it  is  soon  over,  and  then  she  can  be  so  kind  to  those  she 
loves  !  No  one  knows  her  so  well  as  I  do,  excepting,  perhaps, 
papa,  and  he  says,  if  she  were  not  passionate,  she  would  be 
faultless ;  with  me  she  is  never  in  a  passion." 

"  Perhaps  because  you  yield  implicit  obedience  to  all  her 
commands  ?  But  tell  me  why  did  not  you  follow  her  ex- 
ample, and  refuse  Major  Stultz,  if  you  did  not  like  him?" 

"  He  did  not  ask  me,  he  spoke  to  mamma,  and  wrote  to 
papa  ;  and  when  all  was  arranged,  I  had  not  courage  to  re- 
fuse ;  and  he  is  forty-six  years  old,  and  I  shall  not  be  sixteen 
until  next  year !" 

"  That  is  a  considerable  disparity,  certainly." 

"  I  should  not  mind  the  thirty  years  so  much  if  his  face 
were  not  so  red  and  his  figure  so  stout.  I  hate  red-faced, 
stout  men  !" 

"  If  he  could  change  his  appearance  to  please  you,  I  have 
no  doubt  he  would  do  so,"  observed  Hamilton,  smiling. 

"  Hildegarde  also  dislikes  red-faced  men,"  she  added,  pet- 
tishly. 

"  Whatever  Hildegarde  says  must  be  right,  of  course," 
said  Hamilton,  ironically  ;  "  but  I  have  not  discovered  that 
she  dislikes  Count  Zedwitz,  and  he  rather  comes  under  the 
denomination  red-faced." 

"  Hildegarde  says  Count  Zedwitz  is  very  agreeable,  and 
not  in  the  least  presuming." 

"  And  who  does  she  say  is  presuming,  if  I  may  ask  ?" 


84  THE  INITIALS. 

"  She  says  you  are — or  would  be,  if  you  were  allowed." 

"  I  think  she  is  wrong.  And  were  she  to  meet  Zedwitz 
here  alone " 

"  Hildegarde  would  never  do  such  a  thing — never  !  And 
I  ought  not  to  have  come,  either,"  she  cried,  starting  from 
her  seat  and  looking  anxiously  round.  Then,  laying  her 
hand  heavily  on  his  arm,  and  straining  her  eyes  as  if  to  see 
something  more  distinctly,  she  asked,  in  a  scarcely  audible 
voice,  "  What  is  that?" 

"What? — I  see  nothing." 

"  There — there — in  the  corner  !  The  moon's  shining  on 
it  now — that  figure." 

"  Oh,  that  is  a  stone  figure — a  monument,  or  something  of 
that  sort.     Let  us  go  and  look  at  it." 

"  Not  for  the  universe — I  saw  it  move." 

"  You  fancied  it  moved ;  one  can  imagine  all  sorts  of 
things  by  moonlight.  Will  you  remain  here  and  let  me  ex- 
amine it  ?" 

"  Oh.  no— you  must  not  leave  me !  I — I  think  it  may  be 
something  unearthly.  Oh,  why  did  I  come  here  ? — why  did 
I  come  here?" 

"  Don't  be  unnecessarily  alarmed ;  I  am  convinced  it  is 
nothing  but " 

"  There,  there — it  moved  again  !"  She  grasped  his  arm 
and  hid  her  face  on  his  shoulder. 

"  Come,"  said  Hamilton,  encouragingly  ;  "  let  me  take  you 
to  your  room — to  your  sister." 

She  trembled  violently,  but  endeavoured  to  walk.  The 
figure,  however,  seemed  to  possess  the  power  of  fascination 
— she  would  or  could  not  remove  her  eyes  from  it ;  and 
though  Hamilton  assured  her  he  remembered  having  seen  it 
by  daylight,  and  at  first  really  thought  so,  he  was  soon  un- 
pleasantly convinced  of  his  error.  They  saw  the  outline 
more  and  more  distinctly  every  moment — could  even  dis- 
tinguish the  large  folds  of  the  drapery  in  the  moonlight. 
Hamilton  tried  to  hurry  her  forward ;  but  at  that  moment 
the  figure,  slowly  and  stiffly  raising  an  arm,  pointed 
threateningly  towards  them.  This  was  the  acme.  Cres- 
cenz  clung  to  him  in  an  agony  of  terror,  and  while  Hamilton 
whispered  to  her,  "  For  heaven's  sake,  not  to  scream — to 
think  of  the  consequences  were  she  to  be  discovered,"  she 
writhed  as  if  in  strong  convulsions,  gasped  frightfully  once  or 


SECULARISED   CLOISTERS.  85 

twice  for  breath,  and  then  sank  on  his  arm  perfectly  insen- 
sible. 

Shocked  beyond  measure,  but  now  convinced  that  someone 
had  been  amusing  himself  at  their  expense,  Hamilton  called 
out  angrily,  "  Cease  your  mummeries,  whoever  you  are — and 
see  what  you  have  done  !" 

The  moonlight  fell  on  Crescenz's  lifeless  form  while  he 
spoke,  and  in  a  moment  Count  Zedwitz  stood  beside  him. 
He  endeavoured  to  exculpate  himself  by  avowing  that  he 
had  no  idea  of  playing  ghost  when  he  had  followed  them. 

"I  don't  care  what  you  intended,"  cried  Hamilton,  still 
more  angrily  ;  "  but  I  wish,  at  least,  you  had  spared  this  poor 
girl  such  unnecessary  terror." 

"  I  did  not  think  of  the  consequences.  It  was  very  foolish 
— it  was  very  wrong,  if  you  will.  But  you  must  not  think  I 
was  a  listener ;  I  declare  most  solemnly  I  did  not  hear  one 
word  of  your  conversation." 

"  The  whole  world  might  have  heard  it !"  cried  Hamilton, 
impatiently  shaking  off  the  hand  which  Zedwitz  had  placed 
on  his  shoulder ;  "  the  whole  world  might  have  neard  it. 
But  what  is  to  be  done  now  ?  She  shows  no  sign  of  life, 
and  is  as  cold  as  a  stone.     Perhaps  you  have  killed  her  !" 

"  Oh,  no,  she  has  only  fainted ;  let  me  go  for  a  glass  of 
water." 

"  Are  you  mad  ?"  cried  Hamilton,  detaining  him  forcibly  ; 
"  no  one  must  ever  know  that  she  has  been  here  with  me — 
with  us " 

"  Oh,  I  thought  I  could- 


"  I  wish  you  would  think  rationally,  and  repair  the  mis- 
chief you  have  done." 

"  Let  us  take  her  to  her  sister ;  she  will  never  betray 
her,  and  will  know  best  what  means  to  employ  for  her  re- 
covery." 

And  between  them  they  carried  Crescenz  along  the  pas- 
sage and  up  the  stairs.  Fortunately,  the  first  door  led  to 
her  room,  and  Hamilton  desired  Zedwitz  to  knock  gently, 
lest  other  people  in  the  neighbouring  rooms  might  be  awa- 
kened. But  it  was  in  vain  he  knocked  ;  Hildegarde  seemed 
to  be  enjoying  what  is  called  a  "  wholesome  sleep"  ;  and  at 
length,  finding  their  efforts  fruitless,  Zedwitz  volunteered  to 
go  in  and  waken  her. 

Hamilton  heard  the  sleepy  voice  change  into  a  tone  of 

8 


86  THE  INITIALS. 

alarm,  the  anxious  questions,  and  finally  a  request  that  he 
would  leave  the  room.  He  did  so,  and  in  less  than  a  minute 
Hildegarde  opened  the  door  in  a  state  of  great  agitation. 
While  Hamilton  laid  Crescenz  on  the  bed,  Zedwitz  struck  a 
light,  and  Hildegarde  then  asked  him  earnestly  to  tell  her 
what  had  happened. 

"  My  odious  cloak  has  been  the  cause  of  all,"  he  answered, 
evasively ;  "  she  saw  me  standing  in  the  moonlight,  and 
thought  I  was  a  ghost." 

"  Saw  you  standing  in  the  moonlight  ? — when  ? — where  ? 
Oh,  go  away,  both  of  you,"  she  cried,  vehemently,  as  the 
candle  lighted  her  sister's  pale  features  ;  "  go  away,  and  leave 
me  alone  with  Crescenz." 

They  left  the  room,  and  walked  towards  one  of  the  win- 
dows looking  into  the  quadrangle.  After  some  delay,  Hilde- 
garde appeared,  and  a  dialogue  ensued  which  Hamilton 
thought  unnecessarily  long,  as  he  was  not  able  to  hear  what 
was  said.  The  moment,  however,  that  he  approached  the 
speakers,  the  door  was  closed,  and  he  was  left  to  make  his 
inquiries  of  Zedwitz. 

"  How  is  she?" 

"  Better,  or  quite  well,  I  forget  which  ;  she  fancied  at  first 
that  she  had  been  dreaming,  but  now  she  knows  the  con- 
trary." 

"  Hum  !  No  doubt  you  exaggerated  splendidly  when  ex- 
plaining to  Hildegarde  just  now  !" 

"  Not  I !  I  was  thinking  the  whole  time  of  that  bewitch- 
ing little  nightcap,  and  how  lovely  she  looked  in  it." 

"  Pshaw !  if  you  have  any  fancy  for  such  caps,  I  recom- 
mend you  to  go  to  London.  In  any  street  you  please,  and  at 
any  hour,  you  can  see  half  a  dozen  such  caps  on  as  many 
Bavarian  girls,  whose  employment  is  to  scream  '  buy  a  broom,' 
and  who  are  just  the  most  good-for-nothing  creatures  in  the 
world." 

"  And  how  do  you  know  they  are  Bavarians  ?  I  think  it 
much  more  probable  that  they  are  Dutch  girls." 

"  In  London  people  call  them  Bavarians  ;  and  I  must  con- 
fess they  never  interested  me  sufficiently  to  induce  me  to 
make  inquiries." 

"  Very  likely ;  but  when  I  tell  you  that  Bavarians  do  not 
lightly  forsake  their  country,  that  they  are  seldom  so  poor  as 
nut  to  have  enough  to  live  upon — our  marriage-laws  provide 


SECULARISED   CLOISTERS.  87 

against  that ;  that  London  is  a  long  way  from  Bavaria,  and 
the  steam-packets  make  it  an  easy  matter  for  Dutch  girls  to 
transport  themselves  there,  you  will  also  think  with  me  that 
they  are  more  probably  Dutch  than  Bavarian." 

"  How  warmly  you  defend  your  countrywomen  and  their 
hideous  caps,"  cried  Hamilton,  laughing.  "  But,  really,"  he 
added,  opening  the  door  of  his  room,  before  which  they 
stood,  "  really,  the  matter  is  not  worth  a  dispute.  The  girls 
are  Dutch,  if  you  will  have  it  so,  but  the  caps  are  ugly,  say 
what  you  will." 

"  It  depends  so  entirely  on  the  wearer  of  the  cap  !  For 
instance,  to-night  I  thought  that  cap  the  most  becoming 
thing  I  ever  saw  !" 

"  Perhaps  you  also  prefer  one  foot  in  a  slipper  and  the 
other  bare." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  I  mean  that  the  fair  Hildegarde  could  only  find  one 
slipper  in  the  dark,  and  pattered  about  with  her  bare  foot,  as 
if  it  were  the  most  comfortable  thing  possible  !" 

' '  I  did  not  look  at  her  feet ;  but  even  if  I  had,  I  should 
only  have  admired  her  forgetfulness  of  self  in  her  anxiety 
about  her  sister." 

"  You  are  right,  Zedwitz,"  cried  Hamilton,  with  unusual 
warmth  ;  "  quite  right.  And  though  I  will  not,  cannot,  say 
that  I  think  the  nightcap  pretty,  I  must  acknowledge  that  I 
admired  Hildegarde  to-night  more  than  anyone  I  ever  saw. 
She  is  superlatively  handsome,  and  it  is  the  greater  pity  that 
she  is  such  a  devil." 

"  A  devil !     Are  you  raving  ?" 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  I  advise  you  to  take  care  how  you  make 
advances  to  her ;  she  will  slap  you  on  the  mouth  for  the 
slightest  misdemeanour." 

"  Slap  me  on  the  mouth !" 

"  Not  the  smallest  doubt  of  it.  She  buffeted  poor  Major 
Stultz  when  he  innocently  made  her  a  proposal  of  mar- 
riage, until  his  face,  from  deep  red,  turned  to  the  richest 
purple." 

"  Nay,  now  I  know  you  are  inventing — joking." 

"  Not  so  much  as  you  think,  I  assure  you.  Her  sister  is 
my  authority.  She  softened  the  recital  in  some  degree,  it  is 
true,  by  saying  that  Hildegarde  was  not  often  in  a  passion, 
and  never  with  Aer." 


88  THE  INITIALS. 

Zedwitz  seated  himself  at  the  table,  drummed  on  it  with 
his  fingers,  and  looked  at  Hamilton  as  if  he  expected  to  hear 
more. 

"  Perhaps,  after  all,"  said  Hamilton,  "  she  is  only  a  little 
hot-tempered.  I  have  heard  it  asserted  that  passionate 
people  were  always  good-hearted — in  fact,  most  amiable, 
when  not  actually  in  a  passion  !"' 

'•  Who  would  have  imagined  that  ?"  said  Zedwitz,  thought- 
fully ;  "  and  with  such  an  angel's  face  !" 

-■  Never  trust  an  angel's  face !"  cried  Hamilton,  laughing. 
-  My  brother  John,  who  understands  such  things,  says  that 
angelic-looking  women  are  very  often  devils,  and,  if  not, 
they  are  bores  ;  and  of  the  two  I  prefer  a  devil  to  a  bore, 
any  day — even  for  a  wife." 

Zedwitz  rubbed  his  hand  across  his  forehead,  and  looked 
dissatisfied. 

"  So  you  think  her  ill-tempered?"  he  observed. 

"  I  cannot  exactly  say  ill-tempered ;  but  I  have  already 
seen  her  in  something  very  nearly  approaching  to  a  passion." 

"  You  ! — where  ?" 

"  No  matter.  But  she  called  me  a  fool,  and  stamped  with 
her  foot,  until  I  ran  away  for  very  fright." 

"  I  dare  say  you  had  provoked  her  past  endurance ;  and  I 
have  now  had  an  opportunity  of  judging  how  shy  and 
modest  you  are.  Not  that  I  mean  to  blame  you  for  support- 
ing Crescenz,  as  you  did  to-night,  in  the  cloisters.  You  saved 
her,  no  doubt,  from  a  severe  fall,  but  you  took  very  remark- 
able good  care  of  her." 

"  It  was  very  natural  that  Crescenz  should  cling  to  me 
when  she  was  frightened,"  said  Hamilton,  seriously ;  "  and 
equally  natural  that  I  should  endeavour  to  protect  her." 

k-  Oh,  it  was  altogether  extremely  natural ;  only  don't  talk 
any  more  nonsense  about  being  shy.  You  were  anything 
but  shy  at  the  foot  of  the  staircase " 

"  Were  you  there,  too  ?" 

••  Not  very  distant  from  you,  disguised  as  a  rat." 

"  If  I  had  managed  to  hit  you  with  the  rake,  all  this 
scene  would  have  been  avoided." 

"  Perhaps  ;  but  do  you  know  that  you  invited  me  yourself 
to  come  ?  I  did  not  know  where  you  were  until  you  said,  in 
the  most  insinuating  manner,  c  I  am  here — give  me  your 
hand.'  " 


AN  EXCURSION.  89 

u  So  you  were  the  person  who  scampered  up  the  stairs  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  scampered  down  at  the  other  side,  and  found 
another  way  into  the  passage/' 

"  Well,  I  hope  I  shall  not  remain  long  in  your  debt,  that's 
all."  *  S 

"  Oh,  your  anger  is  over  for  this  time,  I  hope.  Rather  let 
us  now  swear  an  eternal  friendship.  The  thing  is  possible, 
as  we  are  nuo  rivals." 

"  Perhaps  we  may  be,  though — I  rather  took  a  fancy  to 
Hildegarde  to-night.     Crescenz  is  almost  too  childish." 

"  You  are  not  serious,  I  hope,"  cried  Zedwitz,  with  what 
Hamilton  imagined  an  affectation  of  alarm. 

"  I  really  don't  know  whether  I  am  or  not.  I  am  only 
trying  to  get  up  a  sort  of  flirtation  to  make  the  time  pass 
agreeably  while  I  am  studying  German  ;  for  that  purpose, 
in  fact,  one  sister  is  as  good  as  the  other  ;  indeed,  Crescenz 
suits  me,  perhaps,  better,  because  the  affair  will  have  a 
respectable  termination  when  she  marries  Major  Stultz." 

"  Is  she  to  marry  Major  Stultz?" 

"  So  Hildegarde  has  not  even  told  you  that  ?" 

"  Not  a  word." 

"  Well,  let  us  open  the  window  and  smoke  a  couple  of 
cigars  in  the  moonlight,  and  you  shall  hear  all  about  it,  and 
have  a  full  and  true  account  of  the  boxing-match  between 
Hildegarde  and  the  gallant  Major." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

AN  EXCURSION  AND  RETURN  TO  THE  SECULARISED  CLOISTERS. 

Madame  Rosenberg  "  wondered"  unceasingly,  the  next 
morning,  why  Crescenz  was  not  well  enough  to  appear  at 
breakfast.  Zedwitz  looked  at  Hamilton,  and  Hamilton 
looked  at  Zedwitz,  and  then  they  both  looked  at  Hildegarde, 
whose  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  ground,  leaving  nothing  bub  the 
long  eyelashes,  which  rested  on  her  cheek,  visible.  About 
the  corners  of  her  mouth  played  an  expression  which  it  was 
impossible  to  define ;  but  it  seemed  that  Zedwitz  was  able  to 


90  THE  INITIALS. 

interpret  it  to  his  own  advantage,  for  lie  seated  himself  be- 
side her,  and  began  a  conversation  in  the  very  easiest  man- 
ner possible.  Major  Stultz  was  fully  occupied  with  a  mon- 
strous edition  of  a  meerschaum  pipe,  and  Hamilton  turned 
to  Madame  Rosenberg,  who  showed  every  disposition  to  be 
friendly  and  confidential.  From  sundry  winks  and  witti- 
cisms which  she  exchanged  with  Major  Stultz,  Hamilton 
perceived  that  she  wished  to  excite  his  curiosity,  and  longed 
to  tell  him  of  Crescenz's  engagement.  But  he  pretended 
stupidity,  and  carefully  avoided  all  leading  questions.  Sud- 
denly it  occurred  to  him  to  propose  a  party  to  the  Chiem 
Lake  the  next  day,  and  he  was  immediately  warmly  seconded 
by  Zedwitz.  Major  Stultz  took  his  pipe  from  his  mouth  to 
say  that  the  weather  was  so  warm  they  might  expect  a 
thunder-storm,  which  on  that  lake  would  be  dangerous. 
Madame  Rosenberg,  with  a  few  wise  nods,  observed  that, 
"  under  existing  circumstances,"  she  thought  that  Crescenz 
might  be  allowed  a  little  amusement,  and  the  party  was  de- 
cided upon.  Hamilton  took  Zedwitz  aside,  and  asked  him 
if  he  could  not  persuade  his  mother  and  sister  to  join  them  ; 
told  him,  however,  at  the  same  time,  what  had  been  said 
about  the  Z 's." 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  was  his  answer,  "  the  Z 's  are  just 

the  people  who  would  have  joined  the  party  at  once;  she 
likes  being  in  all  sorts  of  company,  and  he  amuses  himself 
everywhere ;  but  nothing  in  the  world  would  induce  my 
mother  or  sister  to  go  with  these  people." 

"  These  people  !     Why,  are  they  not  respectable  ?" 

"  Respectable !  Oh,  perfectly.  Come,  don't  play  inno- 
cence, and  force  me  to  explain  what  you  understand  as  well 
as  I  do.  The  two  girls  are  treasures,  and  would  be  presenta- 
ble anywhere,  if  they  had  but  a  'Von'  before  their  name; 
but  their  stepmother  is  vulgarity  personified,  and  Major 
Stultz,  you  know,  was  a  common  soldier !" 

"  I  know  nothing  at  all  about  Major  Stultz,  excepting  that 
he  is  a  red-faced,  jolly-looking,  elderly  man.  He  must  have 
distinguished  himself  during  the  war,  or  he  could  not  have 
obtained  his  present  rank." 

"  Yes,  his  personal  bravery  is  undoubted ;  he  was  also  an 
excellent  officer — covered  with  wounds — made  the  campaign 
in  Russia,  and  was  one  of  the  few  Bavarians  who  returned 
home  to  relate  the  horrors  of  the  retreat.     I  advise  you, 


AN  EXCURSION.  91 

however,  to  avoid  the  subject  when  he  is  present,  as  he  is 
rather  diffuse  about  it.  His  brother,  a  Nuremburger  trades- 
man, died  about  six  months  ago,  and  left  him  a  good  deal 
of  money ;  his  wounds  afforded  him  a  good  excuse  for  re- 
tiring from  the  service  and  applying  for  a  pension.  And  he 
told  me  honestly,  that  he  has  been  looking  for  a  wife  ever 
since,  as  he  does  not  know  what  to  do  with  himself." 

"  The  idea  of  taking  Hildegarde  to  wife,  in  order  to  dispel 
ennui,  was  a  proof  of  great  discernment,"  observed  Hamilton, 
ironically. 

"  Rather  say,  most  unpardonable  effrontery,"  replied  Zed- 
witz,  growing  very  red. 

"A  man  of  his  discrimination,"  continued  Hamilton,  pro- 
vokingly,  "  must  be  aware  that  Crescenz  is  but  a  bad  substi- 
tute for  her  sister ;  Hildegarde,  too,  would  have  suited  him 

much  better;  she  would  have  kept  him  in  order  by " 

Here  he  waved  his  hand  significantly, 

"  How  you  harp  on  that  subject,  Hamilton  I" 

"  I  shall  never  mention  it  again  if  it  distresses  you.  I 
was  really  not  aware " 

"  Pshaw  !"  he  exclaimed,  impatiently,  turning  away. 

"  As  to  Crescenz.  poor  girl,"  continued  Hamilton,  "  I  really 
pity  her.  Such  a  fearful  difference  of  age  and  person  makes 
it  an  odious  sacrifice  !" 

"  Not  so  much  as  you  think,  perhaps,"  said  Zedwitz, 
quietly ;  "  Stultz  is  a  good-hearted  man,  and  will  let  her  do 
whatever  she  pleases.  You  will  see  how  soon  she  will  be  satis- 
fied with  her  lot  in  life !  Perhaps  even  before  her  mar- 
riage !" 

"  It  is  at  least  to  be  hoped  so,"  observed  Hamilton,  dryly. 

"  The  trousseau  will  soon  occupy  her  mind  completely,  and 
while  exhibiting  it  to  her  friends  and  receiving  their  con- 
gratulations, she  will  learn  to  like  the  cause  of  all  the  prepara- 
tions, and  end,  perhaps,  by  fancying  herself  a  singularly  for- 
tunate person !" 

Crescenz  entered  the  garden  while  they  were  speaking,  and 
blushed  deeply  as  she  passed  them.  Hamilton  felt  the  blood 
mount  to  his  temples,  and  turned  away  that  Zedwitz  might 
not  observe  it. 

"  This  is  the  beginning  of  the  comedy,"  cried  the  latter, 
after  a  moment's  pause,  touching  Hamilton's  arm  to  make 
him  look  round.     He  turned,  and,  through  the  foliage  of  the 


92  THE  INITIALS. 

arbour,  saw  Major  Stultz  clasping  a  massive  gold  bracelet  on 
Crescenz's  arm.  She  appeared  for  a  moment  embarrassed 
and  shy ;  then  played  with  a  padlock  or  heart,  or  some  such 
thing  which  dangled  from  the  bracelet,  and  finally  she 
looked  up  at  him  and  smiled. 

"  She  is  a  thorough -bred  coquette  !"  exclaimed  Hamilton , 
indignantly.  li  Zedwitz,  I  throw  down  the  gauntlet,  and 
enter  the  list  as  your  rival.  I  prefer  running  the  chance  of 
occasional  chastisement  from  the  fair  hand  of  Hildegarde, 
to  having  anything  more  to  do  with  such  a  silly,  vain  creature 
as  this  Crescenz  seems  to  be." 

"  Seems  to  be,  Hamilton — and  only  seems.  The  circum- 
stances must  also  be  taken  into  consideration.  She  must 
marry  this  Stultz,  whether  she  like  him  or  not.  That  he  is 
not  the  ideal  of  a  girl  of  her  age,  one  can  easily  imagine. 
He  suspects  this,  perhaps,  and  wisely  commences  by  giving 
her  a  handsome  present.  That  is  probably  the  first  gold 
bracelet  she  has  ever  had  clasped  on  her  arm.  She  is  very 
young — childish,  if  you  will — but  neither  silly  nor  very  vain 
for  feeling  a  little  pleasure,  and  honestly  showing  what  she 
feels.     I  see  nothing  reprehensible  in  her  conduct." 

"  Had  you  but  heard  her  last  night  telling  me  how  un- 
happy she  was !" 

Zedwitz  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

';  How  she  talked  of  his  forty-six  years,  and  declared  her 
hatred  of  red-faced  men  !"' 

Zedwitz  laughed. 

"  She  mentioned,  also,  that  her  sister  had  the  same  an- 
tipathy." 

"  Sorry  to  hear  it,"  cried  Zedwitz.  picking  up  a  handful 
of  flat  pebbles  and  pitching  them  one  by  one  with  consider- 
able skill  into  the  lake,  watching  them  skimming  along  the 
surface,  with  an  interest  that  half  provoked  Hamilton. 

"  You  seem  to  have  a  thorough  contempt  for  my  rivalship 
by  daylight." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  Did  you  not  tell  me  last  night 
that  Crescenz  suited  you  exactly,  as  you  only  wished  to 
amuse  yourself  for  a  time  ?" 

"  Such  were  my  intentions.  May  I  ask  what  were  yours  ? 
Or  rather,  what  are  }'ours?" 

"  Oh,  certainly  you  may  ask,  but  you  must  forgive  my 
not  answering  j-ou.  as  I  have  not  the  most  remote  idea  what 


AN  EXCURSION.  93 

I  may  be  induced  to  do.  I  shall  most  probably  be  guided 
altogether  by  circumstances." 

He  put  an  end  to  the  conversation  by  walking  towards 
the  arbour,  where  the  arrangements  for  the  next  day's  party 
were  soon  made — Major  Stultz  not  venturing,  before  Cres- 
cenz,  to  say  a  word  about  storm  or  danger. 

They  left  Seon  at  a  very  early  hour  the  next  morning  in 
two  carriages.  Madame  Rosenberg,  as  usual,  took  her  three 
boys  with  her,  in  order,  as  she  said,  to  keep  them  out  of 
mischief.  Fritz,  the  eldest,  on  finding  himself  separated 
from  her,  immediately  found  amusement  in  climbing  from 
the  carriage  to  the  box,  and  from  the  box  into  the  carriage 
again,  causing  Hildegarde,  who  had  charge  of  him,  such 
anxiety  lest  he  should  fall  on  the  wheel  that  she  could 
scarcely  remain  a  moment  quiet.  Zedwitz  assisted  her  so 
sedulously  that  he  did  not  perceive  an  attack  which  Gustle 
directly  commenced  on  the  buttons  of  his  coat  with  a  blunt 
penknife ;  and  Hamilton,  alone  unoccupied,  half  listened  to 
the  desultory  conversation  of  his  companions,  while  admir- 
ing in  silence  the  scenery,  than  which  nothing  could  be 
more  beautiful  to  an  English  eye.  The  fine  old  trees  in  the 
domain-like  meadows  which  were  bounded  by  extensive 
woods ;  the  splendid  lake,  appearing  at  intervals  through 
openings  which  seemed  made  as  if  to  show  to  advantage  its 
extent,  and  the  magnificent  range  of  mountains  beyond. 
The  rippling  of  the  water  on  the  sandy  shore  brought  at  last 
such  a  crowd  of  home-recollections  to  his  mind  that  he 
leaned  back,  forgetful  of  all  around  him ;  Fritz's  irritating 
gymnastics,  Gustle's  mischievous  pertinacity,  Hildegarde's 
angelic  face,  and  Zedwitz' s  amusingly  enamoured  expression 
of  countenance !  The  sudden  stopping  of  the  carriage 
made  him  once  more  alive  to  everything  going  on  about 
him.  The  little  maneuvres  of  Madame  Rosenberg  to  place 
Major  Stultz  near  Crescenz ;  the  determination  with  which 
she  insisted  on  Hildegarde's  sitting  between  two  of  her 
brothers ;  the  third  she  gave  in  charge  to  Zedwitz,  and 
Hamilton  had  the  honour  of  being  reserved  for  herself. 

Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  were,  for  the  first  time  in  their 
lives,  in  a  boat,  and  neither  of  them  was  at  her  ease.  Cres- 
cenz exhibited  her  fear  by  various  little  half-suppressed 
screams,  sometimes  catching  the  side  of  the  boat,  sometimes 
the  arm  of  Major  Stultz.     Hildegarde  sat  perfectly  quiet, 


94  THE  INITIALS. 

not  venturing  to  look  to  the  right  or  left,  her  colour  varying 
with  every  movement  of  her  unruly  neighbours,  who 
amused  themselves  by  adding  to  the  fears  of  their  sisters 
by  balancing  the  boat  from  side  to  side. 

They  landed  first  on  the  Frauen  Insel  (Woman's  Island), 
hoping  to  be  allowed  to  see  the  nunnery.  While  waiting  for 
the  necessary  permission  to  enter,  they  wandered  through 
the  churchyard  and  into  the  church. 

On  the  appearance  of  a  tall,  haggard,  austere-looking 
man,  in  the  long  garment  of  a  priest,  Zedwitz  advanced 
towards  him  and  begged  admittance  for  the  ladies,  the 
scowling  countenance  convincing  him  at  once  that  for  him 
there  was  no  chance  whatever.  He  was  volubly  seconded 
by  Madame  Rosenberg,  who,  with  that  want  of  tact  not  un- 
usual on  the  part  of  uneducated  women,  actually  attempted 
to  be  jocular  with  the  awful  looking  personage  ;  but  neither 
the  polished  address  of  Zedwitz  nor  the  jocularity  of  Madame 
Rosenberg  could  prevail.  He  refused  without  ceremony, 
and  in  very  few  words  told  them  that  without  bringing  a 
permission  from  the  Orduiart'at  in  Munich  they  could  not 
be  admitted ;  the  entrance  of  strangers  disturbed  the  nuus, 
and  was  against  the  rules  of  the  convent. 

They  turned  away,  Crescenz  observing  timidly  that  she 
would  not  like  to  be  a  nun  where  there  was  such  a  severe 
confessor. 

"  I  hope  you  have  no  thoughts  of  being  a  nun  anywhere," 
observed  the  Major. 

"  I  should  have  no  objection  to  such  a  confessor,"  said 
Hildegarde ;  "  I  rather  prefer  one  who  has  something  im- 
posing in  his  appearance;  it  gives  me  the  idea  that  he  is 
above  the  weaknesses  of  human  nature." 

"  What  nonsense  you  talk,  Hildegarde  !"  cried  Madame 
Rosenberg,  with  evident  irritation.  "  It  is  only  a  spirit  of 
contradiction  which  makes  you  pretend  to  admire  a  man 
who  has  been  so  disagreeable  and  uncivil  to  us  all." 

Hildegarde  walked  more  slowly,  and  Zedwitz,  who  had 
been  lingering  behind,  immediately  joined  her. 

"  So  you  like  stern-looking  men !"  he  observed,  in  a  low 
voice. 

"  I  said  I  liked  a  confessor  who  had  something  imposing 
in  his  manner." 

"  Oh  !  for  a  confessor  merely  ?     But  for  a  friend,  a  lover, 


AN  EXCURSION.  95 

or  a  husband,  you  prefer  something  quite  different,  don't 
you?" 

'•  Perhaps  I  should,"  she  answered  carelessly. 

"  Or,  perhaps,"  said  Hamilton,  "  you  think  of  entering 
the  nunnery  here  out  of  pure  admiration  for  that  long, 
gaunt  man  !     There  is  no  accounting  for  taste." 

u  I  do  not  intend  to  take  the  veil  until  you  have  become  a 
monk." 

"  When  I  become  a  monk  it  will  not  be  here  ;  I  shall 
choose  a  more  hospitable  place  and  jolly  companions,  such 
as  one  generally  reads  of.  The  incivility  of  your  friend 
with  the  austere  countenance  has  greatly  disgusted  me." 

The  buildings  on  the  other  island  were  very  extensive. 
The  church  had  been  turned  into  a  brew-house,  and  not  long 
after  its  desecration  it  was  burned.  "  A  very  proper  judg- 
ment," as  Madame  Rosenberg  observed,  glancing  meaningly 
towards  Zedwitz.  Handsome  broad  marble  stairs  led  to  the 
upper  apartments,  of  which  a  few  have  been  lately  modern- 
ized. The  carved  wood  on  the  doors  of  the  cells  and  the 
picture-frames  in  the  refectory  were  admirable. 

"  Altogether,"  said  Hamilton,  looking  out  of  one  of  the 
windows  across  the  lake,  "  altogether  a  place  where  one 
could  spend  a  fortnight  very  agreeably  with  a  gay  party." 

"  Or  with  Hildegarde  and  her  sister,"  said  Zedwitz,  in  a 
low  voice. 

"  If  Crescenz  were  not  so  insipid,  with  all  her  prettiness." 

They  adjourned  to  the  garden  and  dined  under  the  trees. 
Hamilton  studiously  avoided  Crescenz's  vicinity,  although 
he  saw  she  was  half  disposed  to  be  angry  at  his  neglect. 
She  endeavoured,  in  her  simplicity,  to  pique  him  by  listen- 
ing with  affected  complaisance  to  Major  Stultz's  common- 
place remarks.  She  laughed,  and  encouraged  him  to  give 
her  brothers  beer  when  her  mother  was  not  watching  them. 
This  childish  conduct,  perhaps,  Hamilton  would  have  for- 
gotten, had  not  the  consequences  been  somewhat  remark- 
able. The  boys,  unaccustomed  to  drink  anything  but  water 
or  milk,  soon  became  almost  intoxicated,  and  on  their  way 
to  the  boat  Fritz,  a  good-humoured,  handsome  boy,  swag- 
gered, sang,  and  shouted  most  boisterously ;  Gustle  became 
quarrelsome,  and  pinched  and  pummelled  him  unmercifully. 
It  was  in  vain  Madame  Rosenberg  scolded  and  threatened 
punishment ;  they  had  not  left  the  shore  more  than  ten 


96  THE  INITIALS. 

minutes  when  a  regular  scuffle  took  place  ;  Gustle  flung 
Fritz's  cap  into  the  water,  and  Fritz,  merely  taking  time  to 
knock  down  the  offender,  leaned  over  the  side  of  the  boat, 
snapped  at  his  cap,  and  went  Leels  over  head  into  the  lake  ! 
The  screams  of  the  ladies  were  beyond  all  conception  pierc- 
ing ;  Zedwitz,  with  an  exclamation  of  horror,  and  regret- 
ting that  he  could  not  swim,  leaned  anxiously  and  with 
outstretched  arms  over  the  side  of  the  boat.  Madame  Rosen- 
berg  started  up  and,  with  clasped  hands,  called  for  help  in  a 
voice  of  agony. 

The  danger  was  imminent.  Hamilton  sprang  into  the 
water  and  caught  the  boy,  as  he  rose  for  the  second  time,  at 
some  distance  from  the  boat ;  he  was  still  conscious,  and 
grasped  his  preserver's  arm  manfully.  The  scene  which  en- 
sued it  is  impossible  to  describe.  Gustle  was  boxed,  and 
Fritz  was  kissed,  and  Hamilton  was  thanked  and  blessed 
alternately.  He  declined  entering  the  boat  again,  but  partly 
held  it  and  partly  swam  to  the  shore,  where  he  heard  with 
some  surprise  that  the  fishers  who  had  rowed  them,  although 
they  had  spent  half  their  lives  on  the  lake,  could  not  swim, 
so  that  had  he  not  been  there  Fritz  would  inevitably  have 
been  drowned. 

From  the  commencement  of  his  acquaintance  with  Mad- 
ame Rosenberg,  she  had  been  disposed  to  like  him  ;  but  from 
this  event  may  be  dated  a  sort  of  implicit  reliance  on  her  part 
which  afterwards  caused  him  occasional  qualms  of  conscience, 
as  he  felt  that  he  was  trusted  sometimes  beyond  his  deserts. 

Fritz's  clothes  were  dried  at  the  inn.  Hamilton's,  how- 
ever, not  being  composed  of  such  light  materials,  he  was 
obliged  to  leave  there,  and  borrow  whatever  he  could  get 
from  an  obliging  old  peasant,  who  was  profuse  in  the  offers 
of  his  wardrobe.  It  was  amusing  to  see  him  in  the  brown 
trousers,  a  "  world  too  wide,"  intended  to  be  long,  but  which, 
after  tugs  innumerable,  could  only  be  persuaded  to  half  con- 
ceal the  calves  of  his  legs,  whose  proportions  were  rendered 
somewhat  doubtful  by  the  capacious  gray  worsted  stockings 
in  which  they  were  enveloped  ;  a  long  waistcoat  of  red  cloth, 
and  a  remarkably  short-waisted.  long-tailed  coat,  in  which  a 
second  edition  of  himself  could  have  found  place.  These 
garments  altogether  formed  a  costume  more  original  than 
becoming.  Crescenz  and  Major  Stultz  laughed  unrestrain- 
edly  ;  Madame  Rosenberg  repeated  her  thanks  with  a  sup- 


AN  EXCURSION.  97 

pressed  smile ;  but  Hildegarde,  without  speaking,  made  a 
place  for  him  beside  her  in  the  carriage,  of  which  he  incon- 
tinently took  possession.  He  imagined  that  she  spoke  more 
to  him  than  to  Zedwitz  on  their  way  home. 

Crescenz's  efforts  to  bring  Hamilton  back  to  his  allegiance 
were,  for  some  days,  as  unremitting  as  they  were  various. 
She  would  never  have  succeeded  had  Hildegarde  been  one  jot 
less  quarrelsome ;  but  either  from  a  naturally  irritable  tem- 
per, or  some  unaccountable  antipathy  on  her  part  to  Hamil- 
ton, they  never  spoke  to  each  other  without  saying  as  many 
disagreeable  things  as  possible.  Hamilton  felt  that  she  dis- 
liked him  and  misinterpreted  his  every  word  and  action,  and 
this  conviction,  and  the  fear  that  she  might  discover  how 
much  he  had  begun  to  admire  her,  made  him,  perhaps,  ready 
to  meet  her  more  than  half  way  when  she  was  disposed  for 
battle.  Their  conversation  generally  began  civilly  on  his 
part,  but  something  in  her  manner,  or  some  unnecessarily 
sharp  answer,  was  sure  to  provoke  an  ironical  remark  and  a 
slighting  gesture,  which  invariably  led  to  the  commencement 
of  hostilities. 

It  was  after  one  of  these  engagements,  in  which  she  had 
exhibited  more  than  usual  vehemence,  and  he  had  excelled 
himself  in  the  art  of  tormenting,  that  he  found  Crescenz 
alone  in  the  garden.  The  contrast  was  irresistible  for  the 
moment ;  it  was  calm  and  sunshine  after  a  storm  !  There 
she  sat,  busily  employed  knitting  a  stocking,  which,  from  its 
dimensions,  might  probably  be  intended  for  Major  Stultz ! 
Her  fingers  and  elbows  moved  with  a  rapidity  perfectly  in 
conceivable ;  and  as  she  had  for  the  last  four- and  twenty 
hours  been  enacting  the  sentimental  and  offended,  he  was 
allowed  to  admire  her  pretty  face  uninterruptedly  as  long  as 
he  chose,  her  heightened  colour  all  the  time  convincing  him 
that  she  knew  he  was  looking  at  her.  After  a  few  signifi- 
cant coughs,  which  remained  unnoticed,  he  turned  to  go 
away.  She  looked  up  and — sighed.  This  he  imagined  to 
be  a  sort  of  encouragement ;  perhaps  it  was  intended  or 
such,  as  the  look  which  accompanied  the  sigh  was  reproach- 
ful. He  seated  himself  beside  her,  while  he  admired  the 
rapidity  with  which  her  work  proceeded.  The  praises  were 
unheeded. 

"  And  who  is  the  happy  person  destined  to  wear  this  ?  " 
he  asked,  playing  with  the  huge  piece  of  work, 
a       9  9 


98  THE  INITIALS. 

"  That  cannot  in  any  way  interest  you,"  she  answered 
stiffly ;  but  she  sighed  again. 

"  Everything  concerning  you  interests  me  ;  from  the  time 
I  first  saw  you  eating  roast  chicken  even  to  the  present 
moment " 

"  You  have  an  odd  way  of  showing  your  interest,  then. 
Hildegarde  says  you  are  always  laughing  at  me! 

"What  do  you  mean?"  he  exclaimed,  though  knowing 
perfectly  what  she  meant,  and  prepared  for  the  answer  which 
he  immediately  received,  and  the  implied  reproaches  for  his 
neglect,  which  he  had  expected. 

"  But,  mademoiselle,  you  have  told  me  yourself  of  your 
engagement " 

"Well,  and  what  of  that?" 

"  I  could  not  think  of  interfering  with  Major  Stultz.  I 
dare  not  monopolize " 

"  But,  at  least,  you  might  speak  to  me  sometimes." 

"  There  might  be  danger  for  me  were  I  to  do  so." 

Crescenz  looked  immensely  delighted  and  flattered,  and 
her  fingers  moved  faster  than  ever. 

"  Is  it  not  customary  here  to  consider  an  engagement 
almost  as  binding  as  a  marriage  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  replied,  innocently ;  "  I  never  was 
engaged  until  now.  But,"  she  added,  hastily,  "  but  we  are 
not  yet  affianced ;  that  will  not  be  until  the  day  after  our 
arrival  in  Munich." 

"  Then  you  are  still  at  liberty  to  amuse  yourself  with 
others?" 

"  Oh,  yes." 

"  And  I  may  talk  to  you  without  Major  Stultz  having  any 
right  to  be  jealous?" 

"  Jealous  !  "  she  repeated,  blushing. 

"  I  meant  to  say  angry.  Men  at  his  time  of  life  are  diffi- 
cult to  manage  ;  but  it  seems  you  get  on  famously  with  him, 
•nd  have  already  forgotten  all  you  said  in  the  cloisters." 

"  What  did  I  say  ?  "  she  asked,  looking  up. 

"  Merely  something  about  being  very  unhappy,  and  so 
forth." 

"What's  the  use  of  being  unhappy?"  she  asked,  peev- 
ishly. "  Mamma  says  I  must  marry  some  time  or  other ; 
and  such  a  man  as  Major  Stultz  is  not  to  be  found  every 
day." 


AN  EXCURSION.  99 

"  I  know  not  which  is  most  to  be  admired — your  astound- 
ing resignation  or  her  excellent  reasoning." 

She  looked  at  him  for  a  moment,  and  then  having  satisfied 
herself  that  he  was  not  laughing,  said,  confidingly — 

"  Mamma  has  been  very  liberal,  and  promises  me  every- 
thing in  fifties  and  hundreds." 

"  Fifties  and  hundreds  !  "  repeated  Hamilton. 

"  The  smalls  in  hundreds — the  large  in  fifties." 

"  You  will  undoubtedly  think  me  very  stupid,  but  I  have 
not  the  most  remote  idea  of  what  you  mean." 

"  I  am  to  get  a  trousseau  such  as  mamma  herself  had  ;  all 
the  smaller  things,  such  as  pillow-cases,  towels,  and  stock- 
ings, a  hundred  of  each !  Table-cloths,  and  such  things,  in 
fifties." 

"  Ha  !  That  must  naturally  have  made  you  think  quite 
differently  of  Major  Stultz  !" 

Again  she  looked  at  him  inquiringly. 

"  No ;  it  did  not  make  me  think  differently  of  him.  But 
what  can  I  do  ?" 

"  You  cannot  do  better  than  try  to  like  him  as  fast  as 
possible." 

"  If  he  had  only  a  von  before  his  name  !"  she  observed 
sorrowfully. 

"  Why,  what  difference  would  that  make  ?" 

"  If  he  were  noble,  I  should  not  mind  the  difference  of 
age.     My  mamma  was  a  countess  !"  she  added,  proudly. 

"  Then,  why  not  wish  him  to  be  a  count  at  once  ?" 

"  No ;  that  I  could  not  expect,  as  I  have  no  fortune,  and 
papa  is  not  a  von" 

"  I  should  like  to  know  the  exact  meaning  of  this  von." 

"  It  is  the  first  grade  of  nobility ;  then  comes  ritter  or 
chevalier ;  then  baron,  count,  prince,  duke.  I  wonder  how 
mamma  could  have  married  any  one  who  was  not  a  count 
or  baron ;  but  then  papa  was  so  very  handsome,  and  that 
makes  a  great  difference  !" 

"  Most  undoubtedly  !  A  handsome  face  is  a  good  letter 
of  recommendation." 

"  Are  you  noble  ?"  she  asked,  abruptly. 

"  I  have  no  von  before  my  name,"  answered  Hamilton, 
laughing. 

"  Are  you  not  count  or  baron  ?" 

"  Neither." 


100  THE  INITIALS. 

"  So  you  are  only  Mr.  Hamee/fo/ie  tn 

"  Only  Mr.  Alfred  Hamilton." 

He  perceived  that  he  had  fallen  deeply  in  her  estimation, 
and — he  fell  in  his  own,  a  few  minutes  afterwards,  by  a 
fruitless  attempt  which  he  made  to  explain  to  her  the  nature 
of  the  English  peerage,  and  which  he  ended  by  the  assurance 
that  had  he  been  born  in  Germany,  where  every  member  of 
a  family  inherits  the  paternal  title,  he  should  undoubtedly 
have  been  a  baron  or  a  count.  She  did  not  understand  him  ; 
and  he  was  glad  of  it,  for  he  felt  keenly  the  absurdity  of 
his  oration,  and  the  silly  boast  contained  in  the  concluding 
remark.  Where  the  noblesse  is  so  extensive  as  in  Germany, 
and  where  so  many  members  of  it  are  so  extremely  poor, 
one  would  naturally  think  it  would  fall  in  some  degree  into 
disrepute,  or,  at  least,  that  it  would  be  regarded  with  indif- 
ference. This  is.  however,  by  no  means  the  case ;  and  there 
is  no  doubt  that,  had  her  red-faced  major  been  a  count  or 
baron,  she  would  have  willingly  overlooked  the  other  dis- 
crepancies. Even  a  von  before  his  name  would  have  been 
a  consolation,  when  combined  with  the  happiness  of  having 
had  a  countess  for  her  mother.  These  were  Hamilton's 
thoughts  during  a  pause  in  the  conversation,  and  he  partly 
continued  to  think  aloud,  when  he  asked — 

"  Was  she  handsome?" 

"Who?" 

"  Your  mother." 

"  I  don't  know — I  cannot  remember  her." 

"  Are  you — is  your  sister  like  her?" 

"  Hildegarde  is  very  like  papa,  and  people  say  I  am  very 
like  Hildegarde." 

"  You  are  extremely  like  each  other,  especially  at  first 
sight." 

"  Oh,  I  know  that  Hildegarde  is  a  great  deal  handsomer 
than  lam!" 

This  was  a  fact,  and  Hamilton  was  puzzled  for  an  answer, 
when  she  added,  after  a  pause  — 

"But  Major  Stultz  says  I  am  much  more  lovable  than 
she  is !" 

"  Major  Stultz  is  a  man  of  discrimination,"  said  Hamilton, 
looking  around  him  listlessly. 

"  He  says,  too,  we  shall  be  very  happy  when  we  are 
married !" 


AN  EXCURSiGJV.  101 

"  I  hope  so,  most  sincerely." 

"  He  gave  me  a  great  deal  of  good  advice  the  day  we  were 
at  Chiem  See." 

"  Indeed  !     On  what  subject?" 

"  He  said  it  was  very  foolish  to  trust  very  young  men — 
that  they  were  very  faithless,  and  good  for  nothing." 

"All!  Did  he  say  all?"  cried  Hamilton,  in  a  tone  of 
mock  deprecation. 

"  Yes,  all,"  she  answered,  petulantly.  "  He  advised  me 
neither  to  trust  them  in  words  nor  actions  !" 

"  What  extraordinary  knowledge  of  the  world  he  must 
have  !     Altogether  a  remarkable  person  !" 

"  You  are  laughing  at  me — or — at  him." 

"  Laughing !  What  an  idea !  Only  look  at  me  for  a 
moment,  and  you  will  be  convinced  of  the  contrary." 

And  she  did  look  at  him,  and  her  eyes  filled  with  tears  as 
they  met  the  calm,  unembarrassed  gaze  of  his.  A  heavy 
step  on  the  gravel-walk  announced  the  approach  of  someone, 
and  on  turning  round  they  perceived  Major  Stultz  blowiog 
the  ashes  out  of  his  meerschaum  pipe,  as  he  leisurely  walked 
towards  a  bank  in  the  garden.  Crescenz  started  as  if  she 
had  been  detected  committing  a  crime,  and,  with  heightened 
colour,  rose  to  join  him. 

"  I  thought  you  said  you  were  at  liberty  to  talk  to  me  as 
much  as  you  please,"  observed  Hamilton,  ironically. 

"  And  so  I  am,"  she  replied,  seating  herself  again,  while 
she  glanced  furtively  towards  her  future  husband.  "  What 
have  you  got  to  say  to  me?" 

"Oh,  a — what  were  you  talking  about?  Major  Stultz's 
excellent  advice,  was  it  not  ?  I  should  really  like  to  heai 
all  that  he  said  to  you,  for  I  can  hardly  think  he  spent  his 
whole  time  in  railing  at  men  who  have  the  good  fortune  to 
be  a  score  of  years  younger  than  he  is." 

"  Oh,  we  spoke  of  other  things  also." 

"  It  would  have  been  very  odd  if  you  had  not." 

"  We — spoke — of  love  !" 

"  Very  naturally.  I  really  should  like  to  know  the 
opinion  of  such  a  man  as  Major  Stultz  on  so  important  a 
subject." 

"  He  said,"  she  began  with  a  sigh,  "  he  said  that  people, 
especially  women,  seldom  had  the  good  fortune  to  marry 
their  first  love." 


102  T&E  INITIALS. 

11  Rather  a  trite  observation,  and,  on  his  part,  unnecessary. 
Surely,  if  any  man  may  hope  to  be  the  object  of  a  first  love, 
it  is  Major  Stultz  !  You  have  only  left  school  a  few  months 
— are  not  yet  sixteen  years  old.  What  could  he  mean  by 
talking  to  you  about  first  love  ?" 

She  was  silent. 

"  Perhaps  it  was  as  a  preliminary  to  his  confessions.  Did 
he  give  you  a  history  of  his  loves  ?  Have  they  been  very 
numerous  ?" 

"  No,"  she  exclaimed,  almost  angrily ;  "  he  told  me,  on 
the  contrary,  that  I  was  the  first  person  he  had  ever  wished 
to  marry." 

"  Did  you  remind  him  of  his  proposal  to  your  sister?" 

This  contradiction  to  his  words  seemed  to  have  entirely 
escaped  her  memory ;  she  coloured  violently,  and  the  ready 
tears  again  prepared  to  flow.  Hamilton  felt  that  he  was 
amusing  himself  unpardonably  at  the  poor  girl's  expense, 
teasing  her  beyond  what  she  could  bear,  and  was  preparing 
to  set  all  to  rights  again  by  playing  a  little  sentiment,  when 
she  arose  precipitately,  and  with  such  ill-concealed  annoy- 
ance, to  walk  towards  Major  Stultz,  that  instead  of  picking 
up  her  large  ball  of  thread,  she  drew  it  rashly  after  her, 
jerking  it  over  the  flower-beds,  and  entangling  it  so  effect- 
ually in  a  rose-bush  as  she  moved  quickly  on,  that  Hamilton 
ran  to  her  assistance,  and,  as  he  restored  it  to  her,  said,  in  a 
low  voice,  in  French, — 

"  This  evening  I  shall  be  in  the  cloisters  before  sunset. 
Meet  me  there,  I  entreat  you.  I  wish  to  ask  your  pardon, 
if  I  have  offended  you." 

The  shadows  of  evening  had  no  sooner  begun  perceptibly 
to  lengthen,  than  Hamilton  repaired  to  the  cloisters,  and 
amused  himself  endeavouring  to  decipher  the  epitaphs  on 
the  various  tombstones,  until  a  light  step  close  beside  him 
made  him  look  up,  and  he  beheld,  not  Crescenz,  but  Hilde- 
garde,  standing  before  him.  He  was  about  to  pass  her  with 
a  slight  inclination,  when  she  stopped  suddenly,  and,  while 
she  slightly  blushed,  said  firmly, — 

"  I  am  the  bearer  of  a  message  from  my  sister." 

"  The  willing  bearer  of  her  excuses,  no  doubt." 

"  I  understood  it  was  you  who  were  to  have  made  excuses," 
she  answered,  coldly. 

"  Very  true.     I  had  to  ask  forgiveness  for  having  offended 


AN  EXCURSION.  103 

her  in  the  garden  to-day ;  as,  however,  the  excuses  are  only 
intended  for  her  ear,  let  us  consider  them  made,  and  talk  of 
something  else." 

"  I  have  neither  time  nor  inclination  to  speak  on  any  sub- 
ject but  the  one  which  brought  me  here." 

"  The  communication  must  be  important,  if  I  may  judge 
by  the  solemnity  of  your  manner,"  said  Hamilton,  looking 
calmly  into  the  quadrangle. 

"  My  sister  desires  me  to  say  that  she  feels  the  impro- 
priety of  her  former  interview  with  you  here  most  deeply, 
and  that  nothing  will  induce  her  to  consent  to  another.  She 
has  told  you  of  her  intended  marriage  ;  it  is  almost  unneces- 
sary to  say  that,  under  such  circumstances,  a  continuation 
of  your  present  attentions  will  only  serve  to  embarrass  and 
annoy  her." 

"  Your  sister  never  desired  you  to  say  that,"  cried  Hamil- 
ton, fixing  his  eyes  steadily  on  her  face. 

"  Of  this  you  may  be  assured,"  she  continued,  colouring 
deeply,  "  that  my  sister  will  not  again  meet  you  alone,  unless 
— unless " 

"  Unless  what  ?" 

"  Unless  you  are  more  explicit,  and  give  her  the  power  of 
choosing  between  you  and  Major  Stultz.  It  is  not  yet  too 
late." 

This  was  what  may  be  called  coming  to  the  point  at  once, 
and  Hamilton  was  so  taken  by  surprise  that  he  could  only 
stammer  something  about  the  shortness  of  his  acquaintance, 
and  believing  that  he  did  not  quite  understand  what  she 
meant. 

"  I  believe  Crescenz  does  not  quite  understand  what  you 
mean,"  cried  Hildegarde,  indignantly.  "  How  I  wish  she 
could  see  with  my  eyes,  and  learn  to  despise  you  as  you  de- 
serve !" 

"  You  are  really  too  flattering,"  observed  Hamilton,  laugh- 
ing, "  much  too  flattering  ;  but  may  I  not  be  allowed  to  wish 
that  you  would  see  me  with  your  sister's  eyes,  and  value  me 
as  I  deserve?  However,"  he  continued,  glad  of  an  opportu- 
nity to  change  the  subject,  "although  you  have  just  de- 
prived me  of  a  meeting  with  your  sister,  I  shall  not  interfere 
with  your  intended  tete-a-tete  with  Count  Zedwitz." 

The  Count  advanced  towards  them  as  he  spoke. 

"  Your  good  opinion  is  of  too  little  importance  to  induce 


104  THE  INITIALS. 

me  to  disclaim  or  enter  into  any  explanation,"  she  replied, 
turning  quickly  from  him ;  and  bowing  slightly  to  Zedwitz. 
she  disappeared  through  one  of  the  entrances  to  the  cloisters. 

"  Hameeltone,  that  is  not  fair  play,"  cried  the  latter, 
laughing  ;  "  your  presence  here  was  not  expected." 

"  You  do  not  mean  to  say  you  came  here  to  meet  Mad- 
emoiselle Rosenberg  ?" 

••And  why  not?  You  have  met  her  sister  here.  Why 
may  not  I  hope  to  be  equally  fortunate  ?"" 

"  Because — because " 

"  Because  you're  handsome,  and  I'm  ugly ;  you  think  1 
have  no  chance  ?" 

"  That  was  not  what  I  meant.  The  difference  between 
the  sisters  would  rather  form  the  obstacle " 

"  Difference,  indeed  !"  exclaimed  Zedwitz. 

"  The  difference  is  in  intellect.*'  observed  Hamilton  ;  "  in 
person  they  are  extremely  alike." 

"  You  mean,  perhaps,  in  figure?"  asked  Zedwitz. 

"  In  feature,  too,"  persisted  Hamilton. 

"  Why,  they  have  both  brown  hair,  blue  eyes,  and  red 
lips,  if  that  constitutes  likeness ;  but  while  one  has  the 
mere  beauty  of  extreme  youth,  the  other  is  the  most  perfect 
model  of  female  loveliness  I  ever  beheld." 

"  You  are  very  far  gone,"  observed  Hamilton,  gravely. 

"  I  am  giving  my  opinion  as  an  artist,"  he  replied,  smiling. 
"  You  will  understand  my  enthusiasm  when  I  tell  you  that 
I  spend  all  my  leisure  hours  studying  portrait-painting." 

"  You  came  here  just  now.  probably,  to  take  a  sketch  of 
this  most  perfect  model !  But  tell  me,  honestly,  did  she 
promise  to  meet  you  here?" 

"  How  can  you  ask  such  downright  questions  ?  There 
are  different  kinds  of  beauty,  and  different  kinds  of  dispo- 
sitions. I  did  not  exactly  judge  it  expedient  to  say,  '  Meet 
me  this  evening  in  the  cloisters';  but  I  talked  of  the  beauty 
of  the  shadows  here  about  sunset,  and  of  my  intention  to 
finish  a  little  aquarelle  drawing  of  the  said  cloisters,  with  a 
Benedictine  monk  issuing  from  one  of  the  adjoining  pas- 
sages— something  just  adapted  for  a  lady's  album.  I  came. 
Had  you  not  been  here,  I  have  no  doubt  I  should  have  ob- 
tained a  few  minutes'  attention  in  spite  of  my  ugliness." 

"  She  came  here,  however,  expressly  to  meet  me,"  ob- 
served Hamilton,  maliciously. 


AN  EXCURSION.  105 

The  Count  stopped  suddenly,  and  looked  inquiringly  in 
his  companion's  face. 

"  She  came  with  a  message  from  her  sister,"  added  Hamil- 
ton, quietly,  and  they  again  walked  on  together.  "  In  fact," 
he  continued,  "  when  you  joined  us,  we  were  in  the  midst  of 
a  kind  of  altercation,  which  made  your  presence,  to  me  at 
least,  a  great  relief." 

"  An  altercation  !     About  what,  may  I  ask  ?" 
"  About  her  sister.     She  asked  me  in  pretty  plain  terms 
what  my  intentions  were,  proposed    my  entering   the  lists 
fairly  and  honourably  with  Major  Stultz ;  and,  when  I  de- 
murred, she  talked  angrily  of  despising  me,  and  so  forth. 
Depend  on  it,  she  will  call  you  to  account  before  long." 
"  I  am  quite  ready  to  be  called  to  account." 
"  You  do  not  mean  to  say  you  think  seriously  of  marrying  !" 
"  I  should  be  but  too  happy !     There  is  no  such  luck  in 
store  for  me !" 

"  You  think  she  would  refuse  you  ?" 

"  I  don't  know ;  but  I  know  my  father  would  refuse  his 
consent." 

"  Run  off  with  her,  and  ask  his  consent  afterwards." 
"  I  wish  I  could,  but  that  is  impossible  here.  Marriage  is 
with  us  a  civil  as  well  as  a  religious  act.  You  have  no  idea 
of  the  formalities  attending  it,  or  the  certificates  necessary 
to  make  it  valid ;  besides  which,  my  being  in  the  army  in- 
creases the  difficulty.  That  cursed  caution-money  !" 
"  Caution-money  ?     What  is  that  ?" 

"  About  nine  hundred  pounds  of  your  money  without 
which  no  officer  can  obtain  leave  to  marry.  It  is  considered 
a  sort  of  provision  for  his  wife  and  children  in  case  of  his 
death,  and  is,  probably,  a  very  wise  regulation,  but  is  also 
sometimes  a  source  of  great  vexation.  I  am  by  it  com- 
pletely placed  in  my  father's  power,  for  although  I  receive 
from  him  at  present,  in  addition  to  my  pay,  ten  times  as 
much  as  the  interest  of  the  necessary  sum,  and  though  I 
know  at  his  death  I  shall  have  more  than  a  comfortable 
maintenance,  yet  as  Hildegarde  has  no  fortune,  and  I  am 
not  independent,  our  marriage  is  at  present  utterly  impos- 
sible !" 

"  I  advise  you  at  all  events  to  speak  to  your  father." 
"  I  shall  carefully  avoid  such  a  communication.     Why,  I 
cannot  even  hope  for  my  mother's  assistance,  as  the  connec- 


106  THE  INITIALS. 

tion  would  be  in  every  respect  disagreeable  to  her.  7  bave 
but  one  hope.  Through  my  sister's  influence  something 
may  be  done ;  she  is  a  good  child,  and  about  to  marry  to 
please  papa  and  mamma ;  first  of  all,  however,  I  must 
speak  to  Hildegarde  herself." 

"  There  you  have  every  thing  to  hope,  for  she  is  abso- 
lutely civil  to  you  sometimes  !  You  will  probably  enter  into 
some  interesting  secret  engagement?1' 

"  That  would  be  worse  than  folly.  I  could  not  be  so  un- 
generous as  to  ask  her  to  refuse,  perhaps,  an  eligible  estab- 
lishment, should  one  offer,  on  the  chance  that  I  should 
marry  her,  should  I  live  to  become  a  second  edition  of  Major 
Stultz  !  Suppose  I  wait  ten  years,  Hildegarde's  and  my 
ideas  would  both  be  changed.  I  do  not  feel  quite  sure  that 
at  the  end  of  that  time  I  might  not  prefer  some  gentle, 
simple  Crescenz,  who  would  overlook  my  age  and  ugliness 
provided  I  made  her  handsome  presents,  and  supplied  her 
liberally  with  bonbons.  I  wish  you  had  seen  her  face  of 
delight  just  before  I  came  here,  when  Major  Stultz  gave  her 
a  box  of  bonbons,  which  evidently  had  been  ordered  from 
Munich  expressly  for  her,  as  it  contained  nothing  but  sugar 
hearts  and  darts,  and  kisses  wrapped  up  in  pink  and  blue 
papers,  and  doves  billing,  while  almost  bursting  with  the 
liquor  with  which  they  had  been  ingeniously  filled  by  the 
confectioner !" 

"  So  !  Now  I  know  why  the  little  coquette  did  not  come 
to  meet  me !  After  having  called  me  to  account  for  my 
neglect  so  innocently,  and  talking  such  mysterious  nonsense 
about  her  first  love,  she  amuses  herself  eating  sugar-plums, 
and  sends  her  sister  to  me  now.  These  German  girls  are 
inexplicable ;  one  cannot  talk  to  them  without  quarrelling, 
or  being  entangled  in  a  labyrinth  of  sentimentality." 

"  You  must  not  judge  of  all  from  your  slight  acquaint- 
ance with  two,"  observed  Zedwitz,  laughing.  "  You  may 
say  what  you  please,  but  you  cannot  deny  that  they  are  fine 
specimens  of  the  species." 

"  Hildegarde  is  undoubtedly  handsome,  but  then  she  is 
only  amiable  towards  you,"  said  Hamilton,  leaning  against 
the  side  of  one  of  the  arches.  "  I  believe,"  he  continued, 
after  a  pause,  "  I  believe  I  am  getting  very  tired  of  Seon,  and 
were  I  not  engaged  to  these  Rosenbergs,  I  should  start  at  once 
for  Vienna.    Suppose  we  make  a  tour  in  the  Tyrol  together  ?" 


AN  EXCURSION.  107 

Zedwitz  looked  embarrassed,  and  said,  with  some  hesita- 
tion, "I — a — am — half  engaged  to  join  the  Rosenbergs  in 
a  party  to  an  alp,  and  afterwards  to  Salzburg." 

"  What !  and  I  have  never  heard  a  word  about  it  ?" 

"  Oh,  you  will  be  invited  as  a  matter  of  course.  I  had 
some  trouble  to  manage  it,  as  I  do  not  enjoy  the  good  graces 
of  Madame  Rosenberg.  She  expects  her  husband  to-mor- 
row, who  comes  here  for  one  day  to  make  the  acquaintance 
of  his  future  son-in-law.  The  day  he  leaves  is  fixed  for  our 
excursion." 

"  How  do  we  travel — boys,  of  course,  inclusive?" 

"  In  whatever  carriages  we  get  from  here.  In  Traunstein 
we  take  a  char-a-banc,  which  will  accommodate  us  ail.  For 
such  parties  it  is  a  very  agreeable  vehicle,  as  we  can  all  re- 
main together ;  for  when  a  division  takes  place,  the  chances 
that  one  gets  a  disagreeable  companion  are  too  great." 

"  Videlicet  /"  cried  Hamilton,  laughing.  "  Count  Zedwitz 
wishes  to  be  quite  sure  of  enjoying  the  society  of  a  certain 
young  lady  for  three  whole  days." 

"  You  are  right,"  he  answered,  taking  Hamilton's  arm  to 
leave  the  cloisters.  "  Quite  right.  I  trust  you  have  given 
up  all  idea  of  being  my  rival  ?" 

"  I  believe  I  must  give  up  all  such  idea,  if  I  ever  had  it, 
for  Hildegarde  told  me  just  now  that  she  despised  me ;  had 
she  said  she  hated  me,  I  might  have  some  chance ;  but  I  am 
not  equal  to  a  struggle  against  indifference  and  scorn.  I 
believe,"  he  added,  laughing,  "  I  must  make  her  hate  me." 

"  But  you  won't  interfere  with  me,  I  hope  ?" 

"  Not  at  all.  You  will  appear  more  amiable  by  the  con- 
trast." 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  ?" 

"  Were  I  to  continue  my  present  line  of  conduct,"  an- 
swered Hamilton,  affected  with  solemnity,  "  it  is  possible 
that  hate  might  be  produced  in  time ;  but,  in  order  to  hurry 
matters,  I  shall  be  obliged  to  make  desperate  love  to  her  sis- 
ter. Hildegarde  seems  very  vulnerable  on  that  point.  It 
will  not  also  cause  me  much  trouble,  as  Crescenz  gave  me  a 
fair  challenge  to-day  in  the  garden,  and  cannot  reproach  me 
hereafter." 

"  Hamilton,"  cried  Zedwitz,  stopping  suddenly,  and  look- 
ing at  him  attentively,  "  you  are  certainly  older  than  you 
acknowledge  to  be." 


108  THE  INITIALS. 

11  I  understand  the  implied  compliment,"  replied  Hamilton, 
"  You  conceive  my  intellect  beyond  my  years.  My  father 
always  said  I  was  no  fool ;  I  am  glad  to  find  that  others  are 
inclined  to  agree  with  him  in  this  negative  sort  of  commen- 
dation." 

"  You  are  indeed  anything  but  a  fool ;  and  if  you  fall 
into  good  hands,  I  have  no  doubt " 

"  Good  hands  1"  cried  Hamilton,  interrupting  him  ;  "  I 
have  no  idea  of  falling  into  any  hands,  good  or  bad ;  I  in- 
tend to  judge  and  act  for  myself." 

"  Then  you  will  pay  dear  for  your  experience,  as  others 
have  done  before  you." 

"  We  shall  see,"  replied  Hamilton. 

"  You  will  feel,"  said  Zedwitz,  seizing  with  both  hands  the 
ends  of  his  long  moustaches,  to  give  them  a  peculiar  twirl 
towards  the  corners  of  his  eyes  before  he  entered  the  room 
where  the  company  were  assembled  for  supper. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

AN   ALPINE   PARTY. 


The  next  evening  Madame  Rosenberg  invited  Major 
Stultz  and  Crescenz  to  join  her  in  a  walk  to  meet  her  hus- 
band. Hildegarde  was  desired  to  remain  behind,  and  take 
care  of  the  children.  Poor  girl !  she  was  not  yet  forgiven 
the  atrocious  crime  of  having  refused  Major  Stultz  ;  and 
this  punishment  she  seemed  to  feel  more  than  Hamilton 
could  comprehend ;  for,  as  the  trio  walked  off  together,  and 
left  her  alone,  her  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  she  seated  her- 
self on  the  stone  steps  of  the  entrance  to  the  church  with 
an  air  of  such  utter  despondency  that  he  turned  towards  the 
lake  in  order  not  to  annoy  her  by  his  presence,  and  even 
played  with  the  two  elder  boys,  to  prevent  them  from  tor- 
menting her,  until  he  heard  the  sound  of  wheels  and  horses' 
feet,  when,  looking  towards  the  road,  he  saw,  at  no  very  great 
distance,  a  carriage,  which  stopped  as  it  reached  the  pedes- 
trians, and  out  of  which  sprang  a  man  apparently  much  too 
young  to  be  the  father  of  either  Hildegarde  or  Crescenz. 
The  children,  however,  cried   "  Papa !   papa !"  and  rushed 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  109 

towards  him.  Hildegarde — (pardon  the  horrible  idea) — 
Hildegarde  moved  backwards  and  forwards  like  a  chafed 
tigress  in  a  menagerie,  not  daring  to  disobey  her  stepmother 
by  quitting  the  place  assigned  her,  and  yet  exhibiting  anger 
and  impatience  in  every  limb. 

As  the  party  drew  nearer,  Hamilton  observed  that  Mr. 
Rosenberg  was  indeed  extremely  youthful  looking,  and  must 
have  been  eminently  handsome.  That  he  was  a  kind  father 
was  evident  at  a  glance,  for  the  children  clung  to  his  knees 
so  that  he  could  scarcely  walk,  and  Crescenz  had  taken  com- 
plete possession  of  one  of  his  arms.  Just  as  he  reached  the 
place  where  Hamilton  stood,  and  after  being  introduced  to 
him  as  "  our  English  friend,"  his  eyes  turned  towards  the 
spot  where  Hildegarde  was  so  uneasily  perambulating.  Re- 
leasing himself  at  once  from  his  companions,  he  advanced 
hastily  a  few  steps,  calling  out,  "  Why,  how's  this,  Hilde- 
garde? Why  don't  you  come  to  meet  me?"  With  a  cry  of 
joy  she  rushed  into  his  arms,  and  whispered  in  a  voice  almost 
suffocated  with  emotion,  "  I  dared  not — I  dared  not." 

"  You  feel  that  you  deserve  to  be  scolded  ?  Is  it  not  so  ? 
Naughty  girl !" 

"  But  you  have  forgiven  me — I  know  you  have." 

Another  embrace,  and  a  look  of  evident  forgiveness,  not 
unmixed  with  pride  and  admiration,  was  the  answer. 

Madame  Rosenberg  bit  her  lip,  and  observed,  angrily — 

"  You  really  encourage  Hildegarde  to  give  way  to  her 
violence  of  temper,  instead  of  pointing  out  to  her  the  impro- 
priety of  her  conduct,  as  I  expected." 

"  What  is  past,  is  past,"  he  answered  ;  "  and  Major  Stultz 
is  satisfied." 

"  Satisfied  !  I  am  the  happiest  man  in  the  world  !"  ex- 
claimed Major  Stultz. 

Crescenz  smiled  and  blushed, 

"  Well,  then,  we  are  all  happy.  You  take  Crescenz,  who 
is,  if  anything,  too  good  and  gentle,  and  I  must  for  the 
present  retain  this  passionate,  good-for-nothing  girl !" 

He  played  with  her  hand  as  he  spoke,  and  the  dullest 
looker-on  must  have  observed  that  she  was  his  favourite 
child. 

"  You  will  very  probably  retain  her  all  your  life,"  observed 
Madame  Rosenberg. 

"  I  don't  think  I  shall.  Somebody  will  be  sure  to  find  out 
10 


110  THE  INITIALS. 

that  she  is  as  good-hearted  as  she  is  passionate — ill-tempered 
she  is  not — the  darling  !" 

"  Oh,  she  is  very  good-tempered  when  she  has  every  thing 
her  own  way.  And  papa  to  spoil  her !  I  don't  envy  the 
man  who  may  get  her." 

u  I  shall  not  pity  him,"  said  her  father,  gently  pressing 
her  hand  ;  and  then  turning  to  his  wife  and  Major  Stultz, 
seemed  determined  to  change  the  conversation. 

Hamilton  left  them,  and  when  he  found  himself  alone  in 
the  garden,  unconsciously  began  to  consider — was  or  was  not 
Hildegarde  amiable  ?  or  was  she  merely  a  spoiled  child, 
whose  father,  dazzled  by  her  extreme  beauty,  thought  her 
faultless  ?  Her  sister  certainly  loved  her,  and  the  children, 
although  the}7  preferred  Crescenz,  assuredly  did  not  dislike 
her — in  fact,  her  stepmother  alone  seemed  to  think  her  ill- 
tempered,  and  he  felt  strongly  inclined  to  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  her  father's  evident  partiality  had  provoked  the 
jealousy  of  that  apparently  little  indulgent  person. 

On  the  ensuing  day,  Zedwitz  and  Hamilton  had  agreed 
that  they  would  not  give  the  Rosenbergs  so  much  of  their 
society  as  usual,  but,  knowing  that  they  could  make  up  for 
lost  time  afterwards,  leave  them  to  discuss  their  family  affairs 
during  the  sojourn  of  Mr.  Rosenberg.  They  prepared,  with 
a  very  good  grace,  to  spend  the  morning  with  Zedwitz's 
mother  and  sister  in  the  garden,  and  to  the  infinite  surprise 
of  both  ladies,  they  seated  themselves  at  the  table  in  the 
arbour  which  they  were  in  the  habit  of  occupying.  Agnes, 
who  continued  working  with  unnecessary  assiduity,  submitted 
for  some  minutes  to  be  tormented,  in  a  boyish  manner,  by 
her  brother.  He  wrote  upon  the  table  with  the  point  of  her 
scissors,  entangled  her  coloured  wool  and  silk,  upset  her 
needle  case,  and  finally  attempted  to  twitch  her  work  out  of 
her  hand. 

"  You  overpower  me  with  your  attentions  to-day,  Max," 
she  at  length  observed,  with  heightened  colour ;  "lam  no 
longer  used  to  them." 

"  You  do  not  mean  that  you  are  annoyed  at  my  playing 
with  this  trumpery  ?"  he  cried,  moving  from  her  with  affected 
anxiety. 

She  pushed  aside  her  work  with  a  contemptuous  shake  of 
the  head,  and  then,  leaning  her  little  fresh-coloured  face  in 
the  palm  of  her  hand3  she  gently  but  seriously  reproached 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  Ill 

him  for  his  long  neglect  of  her,  and  his  totally  changed 
manner  since  he  had  come  to  Seon.  He  assured  her,  laugh- 
ingly, that  he  had  been  only  trying  to  wean  himself  from 
her  society,  as  he  was  about  so  soon  to  lose  her  altogether. 
His  mother  said  that  moderation  should  be  observed  in  all 
things,  and  though  she  did  not  require  from  him  the  atten- 
tions he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  lavishing  on  his  sister,  yet 
she  must  say  the  contrast  between  his  former  and  present 
manner  was  too  striking  not  to  be  most  painful  to  poor 
Agnes ;  and,  for  her  part,  she  thought  there  must  be  some 
secret  reason  for  such  conduct.  Here  she  moved  uneasily  on 
her  chair  and  coughed. 

"Secret  reason!"  he  exclaimed;  "what  can  you  mean? 
I  am  utterly  at  a  loss  to " 

"  Come,  Max,  you  must  greatly  underrate  my  intellect  or 
powers  of  observation,  if  you  imagine  that  I  have  not  seen 
what  has  been  going  on  for  the  last  three  weeks." 

"  Going  on  ?"  he  repeated. 

"  Yes,  going  on.  You  have  been  paying  the  most  marked 
attentions  to  one  of  those  Rosenbergs " 

"  Which  of  them?"  he  asked,  with  an  effort  to  look  un- 
concerned. 

His  sister  laughed  and  said,  "  Confess  honestly,  Max,  for  if 
you  really  are  in  love,  I  think  I  must  forgive  your  neglect." 

"  Thank  you,  dear.  You  know  I  once  forgave  you  the 
same  offence  when  proceeding  from  the  same  cause." 

"  It  is  unnecessary,"  she  said,  glancing  towards  Hamilton, 
and  growing  perceptibly  paler  ;  "  it  is  unkind  to  remind  me 
so  lightly  of  the  most  painful  event  of  my  life." 

She  was  about  to  leave  them,  when  her  brother  seized  her 
hand,  saying  eagerly,  "  Stay,  you  dear  good  creature,  and 
forgive  me.  I  quite  forgot  that  Hamilton  was  present,  but 
never  mind  him — pray  stay.  I  confess  that  I  am  desperately 
in  love  with  Hildegarde  Rosenberg,  and  I  want  you  to  tell  my 
mother,  and  ask  her  to  give  me  her  assistance  and  advice." 

His  mother,  of  course,  had  heard  what  he  had  said,  and 
now  answered,  quickly,  "  Assistance,  Max,  you  cannot  ex- 
pect from  me ;  my  advice  is,  that  you  return  to  Munich  to- 
morrow." 

"  I  am  engaged  to  ascend  an  alp  with  the  Rosenbergs ; 
indeed,  I  have  promised  to  make  an  excursion  with  them 
which  will  last  three  days." 


112  THE  INITIALS. 

"  You  will  not  find  us  here  on  your  return,"  said  his 
mother,  resolutely  ;  "  I  totally  disapprove  of  your  conduct  in 
every  respect,  and  will  not  afford  you  the  excus^of  passing 
your  time  with  us,  in  order  to  continue  it."  ^- 

"  But,  my  dear  mother " 

"  I  thought  you  were  too  honourable,"  she  continued,  "  to 
pay  attentions  which  could  lead  to  nothing.  You  know 
your  father  will  never  consent  to  such  a  connection  !  " 

"  I  hoped — through  your  influence — in  time,  perhaps " 

"  Hope  nothing,  in  this  case,  from  me ;  much  as  I  desire 
to  see  you  happily  married,  such  a  daughter-in-law " 

"  I  defy  any  one  to  point  out  a  single  fault,"  cried  Zed- 
witz,  eagerly  ;  "  she  is  beautiful — Agnes,  you,  who  under- 
stand so  well  what  beauty  is,  tell  me — is  she  not  beautiful?" 

"  She  is  the  most  beautiful  person  I  ever  saw,"  answered 
Agnes,  warmly  ;  "  indeed,  mamma,  there  is  some  excuse  for 
Max's  admiration." 

"  I  don't  blame  him  or  any  one  for  admiring  her  ;  but 
Max  spoke  just  now  of  more  than  admiration.  He  must 
not  forget  that  she  is  not  noble,  and  that  her  family  are 
odiously  vulgar." 

;'  But  she  is  not  vulgar,"  observed  Agnes,  kindly  ;  "  I  have 
spoken  to  her  two  or  three  times,  and  think  her  a  very  nice 
person." 

"  Max  knows  that  his  father  will  never  consent  to  such 
match,"  answered  the  mother ;  "  therefore  there  is  no  use  in 
talking  more  about  the  matter."  She  rose  and  prepared  to 
leave  them.  "  Want  of  fortune  I  could  have  overlooked, 
and  you  might  have  been  sure  of  my  assistance,  although 
my  hopes  have  long  been  fixed  on  another  object ;  but — such 
a  connection  as  this — I  never  can — I  never  will  sanction." 

Zedwitz  waited  until  his  mother  was  out  of  hearing,  and 
then,  drawing  nearer  his  sister,  said : 

"  Well,  Agnes,  what  is  to  be  done  now  ?  Do  you  think 
she  will  tell  my  father?" 

"  I  think  not  directly ;  she  knows  you  can  do  nothing 
without  his  consent." 

"  Agnes,  I  have  a  right  to  your  assistance,  and  claim  it ; 
your  reproaches  led  to  this  premature  discovery " 

"  Not  at  all ;  mamma  has  been  watching  you  the  last  three 
weeks." 

"  And  pray,  why  did  you  not  tell  me  so  ?  " 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  113 

"  I  did  not  know  it  until  a  few  days  ago ;  and  as  you 
never  come  near  me,  or  even  look  at  me  now,  I  had  no  op- 
portunity of  speaking  to  you  on  that,  or  indeed  on  any  other 
subject." 

"  How  well  you  women  know  how  to  mix  up  reproach  and 
excuse  together.     If  you  had  only  just  called  me  aside " 

"  If  I  had,  you  would  have  given  me  the  answer  which  I 
have  so  often  received  from  you  lately." 

"  And  what  may  that  be  ?  " 

Agnes  rose  playfully  from  her  seat,  with  an  appearance  of 
extreme  impatience,  and  exclaimed,  while  she  looked  around 
her,  as  if  seeking  someone  else — 

"My  dear  creature!  any  other  time;  but  you  see — just 
now,  in  fact,  I  am  particularly  engaged !" 

Hamilton  and  Zedwitz  laughed. 

"  You  little  actress  !  "  exclaimed  the  latter,  drawing  her 
towards  him,  and  making  her  again  sit  down  on  the  bench 
beside  him.  "  I  acknowledge  that  I  have  neglected  you  un- 
pardonably,  Agnes ;  but  you  have  promised  to  forgive  me, 
and  I  now  require  your  assistance — come,  tell  me,  what  shall 
Ido?" 

"  You  really  wish  to  marry  this  Hildegarde  ?  " 

"  Most  undoubtedly,  if  I  can  ;  but  you  know  I  am  wholly 
in  my  father's  power,  and  she  has  no  fortune  whatever." 

"  The  case  seems  rather  hopeless  at  present,"  said  Agnes, 
seriously.  "  Have  you  spoken  to  her  ?  Would  she  wait  a 
few  years?" 

"  I  have  not  spoken  to  her,"  he  answered,  impatiently ; 
"  and  as  to  waiting  two  or  three  years,  I  would  rather  give 
up  the  idea  at  once." 

"  That  would  indeed  be  the  wisest  thing  you  could  do," 
cried  his  sister,  eagerly  ;  "  for  you  may  expect  the  strongest 
opposition  both  from  papa  and  mamma.  Do  not  join  this  alp 
party  ;  you  can  easily  find  some  excuse  ;  and  let  us  all  go  to 
Hohenfels  together  before  these  Eosenbergs  return  here." 

"  How  lightly  you  talk,  Agnes  !  just  as  if  it  only  required 

a  visit  to  the  Z s  at  Hohenfels  to  make  me  forget  the 

last  four  weeks  !    I  tell  you  I  can  never  love  another  as  I  do 
Hildegarde  ;  so  you  must  propose  something  else." 

"  Are  you  quite  determined  to  go  with  them  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Quite." 

"  Suppose  when   you   are  gone  I  speak  to  papa  ;  mamma 
h  10* 


114  THE  INITIALS. 

will  at  all  events  tell  him  when  she  finds  that  you  are  actu- 
ally off;  but  you  know  I  can  generally  make  papa  do  what- 
ever I  please,  and  if  I  explain  to  him  that  you  are  very 
unhappy,  absolutely  miserable " 

"  Tell  him  that  I  am  in  the  depths  of  despair,  or  in  a  state  to 
commit  any  kind  of  excess  !  Say  that  I  talked  of  emigrating 
to  America  with  Hildegarde  ;  tell  him  whatever  you  like,  you 
dear  little  mediatrix  !  if  you  can  only  obtain  his  consent." 

"  Suppose  I  succeed  with  papa,  and  mamma  remains  in- 
exorable ?" 

"  Oh,  leave  me  to  manage  my  mother ;  I  have  no  fear  of 
serious  opposition  from  her." 

"  There  I  fear  you  are  quite  mistaken,"  said  Agnes  ;  "  but," 
she  added  gaily,  "  let  us  hope  the  best." 

"  Yes ;  and  let  us  now  take  a  walk,  and  you  shall  hear  all 
my  plans  for  the  future." 

As  they  sauntered  away  together,  Hamilton  heard  Zed- 
witz  say,  "  I  shall,  of  course,  quit  the  army.  My  father 
will,  probably,  give  me  Castle  Wolfstein.  as  he  dislikes  the 
mountains  as  much  as  I  like  them.     We  shall  be  near  Ho- 

henfels  and  Z s,  which  will  be  agreeable.     As  a  married 

man,  the  father  of  a  family,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  I 
don't  know  any  people  I  should  like  so  much  for  neighbours." 

At  a  very  early  hour  in  the  morning  they  all  assembled 
to  drink  coffee.  Mr.  Rosenberg  left  at  the  same  time  for 
Munich.  Hamilton  concluded  that  he  was  satisfied  with  his 
wife's  arrangement  respecting  him,  as  he  shook  his  hand 
warmly  at  parting,  and  hoped  to  see  him  again  in  the  course 
of  the  ensuing  week.  Madame  Rosenberg  gave  various 
parting  directions  and  commissions,  which  Hamilton  did  not 
quite  understand  ;  neither  did  Mr.  Rosenberg,  he  suspected, 
though  he  listened  to  his  wife's  orders  with  a  patience  which 
made  it  evident  that  he  resembled  Job  in  more  respects  than 
in  having  daughters,  than  whom  '•  no  women  in  all  the  land 
were  found  so  fair." 

The  char-a-banc  which  they  were  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain 
in  Traunstein  had  five  seats,  and  accommodated  the  whole 
party. 

At  the  first  respectably  steep  hill,  both  young  men  sprang 
out  of  the  carriage,  and  when  it  halted  to  take  them  up 
again,  Hamilton  had  no  difficulty  in  ceding  his  place  be- 
side Hildegarde  to  Zedwitz,  who  looked  the  personification 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  115 

of  gratitude  ;  and  well  he  might,  for  poor  Hamilton  had  got 
a  most  riotous  companion,  and  was  so  placed  that  he  could 
scarcely  avoid  overhearing  the  whispered  plans  of  future 
happiness  which  were  made,  revised,  and  corrected  behind 
him ;  while  before,  he  could  observe  the  tactics  of  Zedwitz, 
who,  with  no  inconsiderable  skill,  was .  reconnoitring  the 
ground  previous  to  the  grand  attack  which  he  was  meditating. 

The  afternoon  was  far  advanced  before  they  reached  the 
peasant's  house,  where  the  coachman  and  his  horses  were  to 
pass  the  night,  while  they  pursued  their  way  on  foot.  The 
ascent  was  steeper  and  longer  than  they  had  expected,  and 
the  heat  intense.  Hildegarde,  Crescenz,  and  the  two  boys 
proved  excellent  pedestrians ;  Major  Stultz  toiled  wearily 
after  them — his  effort  to  appear  vigorous  deserved  more  suc- 
cess— but  alas  !  after  having  wiped  the  drops  of  perspiration 
from  his  crimson  face  at  least  twenty  times,  and  even  removed 
his  stiff,  black  stock,  in  order  to  breathe  more  freely,  he  sank 
exhausted  on  a  fragment  of  rock,  declaring  that  since  his 
Russian  campaign  of  1812,  he  had  never  been  able  to  re- 
cover the  right  use  of  his  feet.  Madame  Rosenberg  looked 
for  a  moment  undecided  what  she  should  do ;  she  wished  to 
be  civil,  and  offered,  after  some  hesitation,  to  remain  with 
him  until  after  he  had  rested,  but  on  his  declining,  she  said 
at  once  that  she  would  go  on  before,  and  prepare  the  supper. 
Poor  man  !  he  looked  wistful  y  towards  Crescenz.  Madame 
Rosenberg  understood  him,  but  shook  her  head  disapprov- 
ingly, said  she  would  leave  him  one  of  the  guides,  and 
begged  he  would  not  hurry  himself  in  the  least.  Crescenz, 
who  had  been  amusing  herself  with  her  two  brothers,  gath- 
ering flowers  and  picking  wild  raspberries,  now  turned  to 
Hamilton,  and  giving  him  a  handful  of  the  latter,  told  him 
she  would  show  him  where  to  get  more.  The  invitation  was 
irresistible,  and  after  telling  her  mother  that  they  intended 
to  overtake  Hildegarde,  who  was  still  in  sight,  they  hurried 
off  together. 

The  conversation  was  at  first  desultory,  interrupted  by  the 
scrambling  through  the  bushes,  and  mutually  offering  the 
largest  raspberries  ;  by  degrees,  however,  the  fragrant  fruit 
was  neglected,  and  the  flowers — even  the  beautiful  pyrolas 
and  sweet-scented  cyclamen,  gathered  for  and  given  to  Major 
Stultz — were  thoughtlessly  picked  to  pieces,  and  thrown 
away,  while  she  listened  to  Hamilton's  remarks,  or  answered 


116  THE  INITIALS. 

his  numerous  questions.  She  spoke  without  reserve  of  her 
mode  of  life  at  school ;  attached  a  girlish  importance  to  her 
former  companion's  opinions  and  most  trifling  acts ;  com- 
plained of  not  having  been  allowed  to  speak  during  school- 
hours,  and  of  being  obliged  to  run  and  jump  about  at  recrea- 
tion-time, when  she  would  rather  have  sat  in  a  corner  to  talk 
to  her  friend  Lina ;  of  having  to  listen  to  reading  when  at 
dinner  ;  but  most  of  all,  of  having  had  all  her  long  hair  cut 
off  the  day  of  her  entrance,  "  I  was  quite  inconsolable  about 
it,"  she  said,  laughing,  "  and  cried  for  several  days,  but 
Hildegarde  did  not  care  in  the  least ;  perhaps,"  she  added, 
"  because  she  was  a  year  older." 

Hamilton  thought  there  might  be  another  reason — the  ab- 
sence of  personal  vanity — but.  of  course,  he  did  not  say  so. 
They  had  been  ten  years  at  school,  without  ever  having  been 
allowed  to  spend  a  day  at  home. 

"  So,"  she  continued,  "  we  knew  nothing  at  all  of  my  step- 
mother, and  very  little  of  papa,  though  he  used  to  come  and 
see  us  often,  and  talk  to  Mademoiselle  Hortense  about  us. 
At  the  examinations  they  generally  both  came,  and  mamma 
used  to  bring  us  an  iced  tart ;  but  Hildegarde  would  rather 
she  had  stayed  away,  as  she  was  ashamed  of  her." 

"And  why  was  she  ashamed  of  her?" 

"  Oh,  because  all  the  other  girls  had  such  nice  mothers 
and  aunts,  and  Hildegarde  thinks  mamma  so  very  vulgar." 

"  She  seems,  however,  a  good  kind  of  person." 

"  Oh,  I  dare  say — but  Hildegarde  does  not  like  good  kind 
of  persons." 

"  Indeed !  Pray,  what  kind  of  persons  does  she  like 
then  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  whether  she  would  like  me  to  tell  you  or 
not." 

"  And  I  don't  think  you  are  obliged  to  ask  her." 

"  That  is  true  ;  and,  besides,  it  is  no  harm  to  like  counts 
and  barons  better  than  other  people l" 

"  Not  at  all.  You  rather  said  that  you  had  a  fancy  of  the 
same  kind  yourself,  a  few  days  ago." 

"  Yes — I  confess  I  should  like  to  be  a  von,  or  a  baroness, 
or  a  countess — but  still  there  is  a  difference,  for  /  am  afraid 
of  fine  people,  and  Hildegarde  likes  them  ;  I  saw  her  get- 
ting books  from  Baroness  Z ,   and   speaking  to  those 

proud  Zedwitzes,  the  other  day." 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  117 

"  You  think  it,  then,  probable  that  she  rather  likes  the 
attention  of  Count  Zedwitz  ?" 

"  I — don't — know.  Hildegarde  never  speaks  about  such 
things  when  they  concern  herself,  though  she  expects  me  to 
tell  her  everything  !  I  saw  that  old  Countess  Zedwitz  talk- 
ing to  her  in  the  garden  yesterday — the  Countess  looked 
very  red,  and  kept  nodding  her  head  continually,  and  Hil- 
degarde was  very  pale  and  haughty.  I  asked  her  what  they 
had  been  speaking  about,  but  she  did  not  choose  to  tell  me. 
I  dare  say  it  was  something  disagreeable." 

"  That  is  not  impossible,"  said  Hamilton,  musingly  ;  "  in 
fact,  rather  probable.  So  you  don't  know  whether  or  not 
your  sister  likes  Zedwitz?" 

"  No.  She  only  observed  once,  when  we  were  speaking 
of  beauty,  that  she  did  not  think  it  necessary  for  a  man  to 
be  handsome." 

"  That  was  rather  applicable  to  him  ;  but  he  is  so  devoted 
that  I  should  imagine  him  irresistible." 

"  I  don't  think  that  is  the  way  to  please  Hildegarde." 

"  I  should  have  thought  devotion  must  have  been  pleasing 
to  every  woman." 

"  But  Hildegarde  has  such  odd  ideas  !  I  remember  hearing 
her  say  to  Mademoiselle  Hortense,  just  before  we  left  school, 
that  she  rather  thought  she  should  like  a  man  of  whom  she 
could  be  afraid." 

"  Strange  girl,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Strange  girl,  indeed  !"  repeated  Crescenz  ;  "  and  others 
think  so  differently  !  I  should  not  like  to  be  afraid  of  any- 
one I  loved,  and  that  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  I  think  that 
only  people  of  nearly  the  same  age  should  marry !" 

Hamilton  turned  quickly  to  his  companion,  whose  deep 
blush  gave  a  special  meaning  to  her  last  observation. 

Hildegarde,  Zedwitz,  and  Fritz  were  far  before  them  ; 
Madame  Rosenberg,  with  Gustle,  and  two  guides,  loaded 
with  provisions,  equally  far  behind.  They  became  senti- 
mental, often  looked  back  to  admire  the  view,  which  every 
moment  increased  in  beauty  and  extent.  She  wished  to 
be  the  inhabitant  of  one  of  the  peaceful,  pretty  peasant- 
houses  which  were  scattered  in  the  valley  beneath  them. 
Hamilton,  of  course,  wished  to  bear  her  company.  She 
sighed  and  murmured  something  about  his  understanding 
her,  but  fearing  that  Major  Stultz  never  would.     Hamilton 


118  THE  INITIALS. 

declared,  with  unusual  warmth,  that  it  was  dreadful  to  think 
of  such  a  marriage  !  Such  a  sacrifice !  And  he  was  sin- 
cere, too,  for  the  moment,  for  he  thought  of  the  Major  as 
he  had  last  seen  him,  while  he  looked  on  the  blooming, 
youthful  face  before  him  ;  and  never  had  Crescenz  looked 
so  pretty !  A  few  commonplace  expressions  of  admiration 
were  received  with  such  evident  pleasure,  that  Hamilton 
found  the  temptation  more  than  he  could  withstand,  and 
from  admiration  glided  almost  imperceptibly  into  a  most 
absurd,  but  rather  indefinite,  declaration  of  love.  The 
words,  however,  had  scarcely  passed  his  lips  before  he  be- 
came conscious  of  his  folly.  His  dismay  is  not  to  be  de- 
scribed, when  Crescenz,  covered  with  blushes,  confessed  that 
she  had  loved  him  from  the  commencement  of  their  ac- 
quaintance, and  added,  that  she  was  willing,  for  his  sake,  to 
brave  both  her  father  and  her  mother's  anger  by  dismissing 
Major  Stultz  ! 

Hamilton  was  perfectly  thunderstruck,  and  for  some  mo- 
ments quite  incapable  of  uttering  a  syllable  ;  as  soon,  how- 
ever, as  he  could  collect  his  thoughts,  he  began,  in  a  con- 
strained voice,  and  with  a  manner  as  agitated  as  her  own,  to 
explain  that  he  was  a  younger  son,  totally  dependent  on  his 
father,  and  that  he  could  not,  by  any  possible  chance,  think 
of  marrying  for  at  least  ten  or  twelve  years. 

Crescenz  looked  at  him  for  a  moment  reproachfully,  and 
then,  covering  her  face  with  her  hands,  burst  into  tears. 

Hamilton  had  never  been  so  angry  with  himself  as  at  that 
moment ;  his  fault  was,  indeed,  unpardonable,  and  he  felt 
that  Crescenz  was  right  when  she  pushed  him  from  her,  and 
refused  to  listen  to  his  excuses.  The  fact  was,  he  had  never 
thought  she  cared  more  for  him  than  for  any  other  person 
willing  to  pay  her  attention  ;  and  she  had  appeared  so  per- 
fectly happy  the  day  before — nay,  that  very  day — that  he 
had  naturally  imagined  her  now  quite  satisfied  with  her 
future  prospects,  and  had  expected  her  to  understand  what 
he  had  said  more  as  a  tribute  to  her  youth  and  beauty  than 
as  a  serious  proposal,  the  more  so,  as  he  had  not  made  the 
most  distant  allusion  to  marriage  in  all  that  he  had  said. 
He  now  walked  sorrowfully  after  the  weeping  girl,  whose 
secret  he  had  learned  by  such  unwarrantable  thoughtlessness. 
It  was  in  vain  he  tried  to  exculpate  himself,  by  thinking  she 
was  an  arrant  flirt,  and  would  soon  forget  him  ;  he  began  seri- 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  119 

ously  to  doubt  her  being  one ;  everything  in  her  manner 
that  had  led  to  that  conclusion  could  now  be  interpreted 
otherwise ;  her  receiving  Major  Stultz's  presents,  and  her 
apparent  contentment,  might  have  been  affected  to  provoke 
his  jealousy;  her  sister's  words  in  the  cloisters  confirmed 
this  idea.  He  did  not  give  her  credit  for  sufficient  intellect 
to  feel  annoyed  at  having  "  told  her  love,"  but  even  that 
consolation  was  denied  him  ;  for  on  distantly  hinting  that  it 
was  unnecessary  any  person  should  ever  be  made  acquainted 
with  their  late  conversation,  she  wrung  her  hands,  and  ex- 
claimed bitterly  : 

"  Oh,  how  could  I  be  such  a  fool  as  to  betray  myself  so  ?" 

They  walked  on  long  in  silence ;  but  Crescenz  was  too 
good  and  gentle  to  be  inexorable,  and  before  the  end  of  their 
walk  he  had  obtained  pardon  and  a  promise  of  secrecy — the 
latter  without  difficulty,  as  she  innocently  confessed  she  was 
equally  afraid  of  her  mother's  anger  and  her  sister's  con- 
tempt. 

They  reached  the  alp,  both  totally  out  of  spirits.  Cres- 
cenz's  melancholy  face  was  a  sort  of  reproach  from  which 
Hamilton  would  gladly  have  escaped  ;  and  he  now  heartily 
repented  his  having  made  an  engagement  with  Madame 
Rosenberg.  Until  Crescenz's  marriage  had  taken  place  he 
saw  no  chance  of  peace  of  mind  or  enjoyment  of  any  kind, 
and  many  were  the  vows  he  internally  made  to  be  more  cir- 
cumspect in  future. 

"  Come,  Hamilton,  you  must  look  at  the  sunset,"  cried 
Zedwitz,  seizing  his  arm  and  leading  him  away.  He  was  in 
oppressively  high  spirits,  and  talked  on  without  waiting  for 
an  answer,  or  even  perceiving  that  his  companion  paid  no 
sort  of  attention  to  what  he  said.  They  stood  on  the  top  of 
the  alp ;  behind,  and  on  each  side  of  them,  forming  a  sort 
of  crescent,  were  mountains  of  every  possible  form,  from  the 
gigantic  rocky  peaks  on  which  the  snow  lay,  to  the  richly 
wooded  mountain  and  green  alp  ;  with  mountains,  valleys, 
forests,  rivers,  lakes,  towns,  villages,  in  view ;  more  than  it 
was  possible  for  the  eye  at  once  to  enclose  or  the  mind  to 
comprehend. 

Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  joined  them  as  the  evening-prayer 
bell  tolled.  At  Seon  this  bell  had  generally  been  tolled  while 
they  had  been  at  supper.  The  clatter  of  knives  and  forks 
and  tongues  had  instantly  ceased,  and  an  awful  stillness  had 


120  THE  INITIALS. 

taken  place,  which  had  not  been  broken  by  word  or  move- 
ment until  the  last  sound  of  the  bell  had  died  away ;  when, 
as  if  a  spell  had  been  broken,  each  person  had  wished  his 
neighbour  a  good  evening,  and  renewed,  with  increased  vig- 
our, the  interrupted  occupation.  It  had  always  struck  Ham- 
ilton as  something  very  Mohammedan-like,  this  praying  to 
the  sound  of  a  bell,  especially  when  it  occurred  in  the  midst 
of  conversation,  where  the  difficulty  of  commanding  the 
thoughts  must  be  tenfold  increased.  Not  so  did  it  appear 
to  him  this  evening ;  as  village  after  village  and  every 
church-spire  far  and  near  sent  their  tranquil  chimes  over  the 
plain,  a  feeling  of  enthusiastic  devotion  was  irrepressible ;  it 
seemed  as  if  the  solemn  tones,  on  reaching  the  mountains, 
paused  to  vibrate  in  the  air  while  they  collected  the  prayers 
which  they  were  about  to  bear  to  heaven  on  a  thousand 
echoes.  Zedwitz  stood  with  his  head  uncovered  and  arms 
folded ;  Crescenz  clasped  her  hands  and  moved  her  lips  in 
prayer.  Hildegarde's  eyes  were  fixed  so  steadfastly  on  the 
golden  clouds  above  her,  that  it  was  impossible  not  to  think 
that  at  the  moment  she  wished  for  the  "  wings  of  a  dove  to 
flee  away  and  be  at  rest."  A  messenger  from  the  chalet 
waited  respectfully  for  the  last  sound  to  die  away  in  the  dis- 
tance before  he  summoned  them  to  supper.  The  interrup- 
tion was  unwelcome  to  them  all ;  but  before  they  descended 
it  was  agreed  that  they  should  return  again  with  the  guides 
and  make  a  bonfire.  They  found  Madame  Rosenberg,  as 
usual,  bustling  about,  ordering  and  directing  everybody  and 
everything ;  Fritz  and  (rustle  stealing  cake  and  sugar ;  and 
Major  Stultz,  who  seemed  to  have  but  lately  arrived,  was 
sitting  in  his  shirt-sleeves,  wistfully  eyeing  a  glass  of  beer 
which  he  was  afraid  to  drink  in  his  state  of  heat,  while  to 
hurry  the  operation  of  cooling,  he  was  fanning  himself  with 
a  red  and  yellow  pocket-handkerchief.  Hamilton  glanced 
towards  Crescenz,  but  as  their  eyes  met  he  regretted  that  he 
had  done  so,  and  determined  that  nothing  should  induce  him 
to  look  either  at  her  or  Major  Stultz  for  a  long  time  again. 
Something,  however,  he  must  seek  to  interest  him,  and  he 
turned  towards  Hildegarde.  A  more  dangerous  study  he 
could  scarcely  have  found.  She  was  seated  on  the  grass, 
outside  the  door  of  the  wooden  pavilion,  beside  her  brothers, 
and,  for  the  first  time  since  he  had  known  her,  seemed  oc- 
cupied with  them.     There  was  a  quiet  avoidance  of  Zedwitz 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  121 

on  her  part,  which,  in  contrast  to  the  coquetry  of  her  sister, 
particularly  interested  Hamilton.  This  scarcely  perceptible 
avoidance  was,  however,  unnoticed.  Zedwitz  was  too  com- 
pletely wrapt  up  in  admiration,  and  had  eyes  and  ears  for 
her  alone.  Weariness  prolonged  the  meal,  and  twilight  was 
deepening  into  night  before  they  thought  of  moving. 
Madame  Rosenberg  and  Major  Stultz  said  at  length  that  it 
was  time  to  retire  to  rest ;  the  others  remembered  that  they 
intended  to  make  a  fire  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  insisted 
on  putting  their  plan  into  execution.  Major  Stultz,  afraid 
to  oppose,  followed  Crescenz  ;  the  guides  were  put  in  requisi- 
tion, and  in  a  short  time  everyone  was  collecting  wood  and 
piling  it  in  a  heap. 

The  fire  burned  brightly,  and  coloured  picturesquely  the 
different  members  of  the  party,  as  they  lay  dispersed  around, 
some  seated  on  the  stumps  of  trees,  others  extended  on  the 
grass ;  all  weary,  yet  all  interested  in  their  novel  situation. 
Hamilton,  apart  from  the  others,  looked  on  without  mixing 
in  the  careless  conversation  which  was  kept  up.  It  was  to 
him  like  a  scene  in  a  play ;  he  understood  the  double  plot, 
and  had  decided  on  making  Hildegarde  the  heroine ;  but 
was  Zedwitz  the  hero  who,  at  the  end,  was  to  obtain  her  fair 
hand  ?  No — unaccountably  enough,  he  found  that  to  suit 
his  plan  the  old  count  must  be  perfectly  obdurate.  Zedwitz 
was  to  give  up  the  affair  as  hopeless ;  and  Hildegarde ! 
Hildegarde  was  to — to — remain  at  home ;  yes,  that  would 
do — an  inmate  still  of  her  father's  house ;  and  now,  uncon- 
sciously, Hamilton,  from  supposing  himself  a  spectator,  be- 
came, in  thought,  an  actor.  He  was  also  in  that  house. 
Hildegarde  was  to  become  insensibly  aware  of  his  good 
qualities  and  good  looks — was,  in  fact,  to  become  desperately 
in  love  with  him  !  he,  all  the  while,  stoically  indifferent.  A 
feeling  of  honour  was  to  make  him  explain  to  her,  in  a  most 
interesting  scene,  the  impossibility  of  a — she — Crescenz — 
Zedwitz.  Here  the  party  round  the  fire  broke  up.  The 
boys  had  fallen  asleep,  and  were  now  being  carried  by  the 
guides  to  the  chalet.  Madame  Rosenberg,  Hildegarde,  and 
Crescenz  followed  ;  Major  Stultz  remained  to  finish  his  pipe, 
and  the  two  young  men  commenced  fresh  cigars.  They  did 
not  exchange  a  word  until  their  companion  had  left  them, 
when  Zedwitz,  pitching  his  cigar  into  the  still  glowing  em- 
bers, asked  abruptly, — 

v  11 


122  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Do  you  know  where  you  are  to  sleep  to-night?" 

"  Not  I,"  answered  Hamilton.  u  But  I  do  not  expect  the 
accommodation  to  be  even  tolerable." 

"  We  are  to  sleep  together  in  a  hay-loft," 

"  I  have  done  that  before  ;  and  for  one  night  it  does  not 
signify  ;  but  Major  Stultz  ?" 

"  Sleeps  also  in  the  hay-loft." 

"  And  the  boys  ?" 

"  In  the  hay-loft." 

"  And  the  ladies  ?" 

"  In  the  hay-loft  ?" 

"  Nonsense,  Zedwitz — you  are  joking." 

"  I  am  perfectly  serious  ;  there  is  but  one  bed  in  the  house, 
and  it  is  so  little  inviting  that  no  one  has  courage  to  make 
use  of  it,  We  are  all  to  sleep  together  in  the  hay-loft.  I 
rather  enjoy  the  idea.     Shall  we  go  ?" 

"  By  all  means." 

"  This,"  thought  Hamilton,  as  they  descended  the  hill 
together,  "  is  something  quite  out  of  the  common  course  of 
things.     I  wonder  what  sort  of  a  loft  it  is?" 

The  only  light  in  the  house  proceeded  from  the  kitchen 
fire,  which  still  burned  on  the  high,  open  hearth ;  beside  it 
were  seated  one  of  the  guides  and  a  peasant  girl,  who  had 
come  from  one  of  the  houses  in  the  valley,  and  so  wrapt  up 
were  they  in  the  evidently  confidential  discourse,  that  they 
were  unconscious  of  the  presence  of  strangers  until  Zedwitz 
laughingly  asked  the  way  to  the  hay-loft, 

"  This  way,  if  you  please,"  said  the  man,  looking  a  little 
embarrassed.     "  Take  care  you  don't  stumble,  it  is  so  dark." 

He  was  followed  closely  by  Hamilton,  and  they  both 
quietly  and  cautiously  mounted  the  somewhat  rickety  ladder 
which  led  to  the  loft,  and  entered  it  by  a  trap-door.  It  was 
very  full  of  hay,  and  by  the  light  which  was  sparingly 
admitted  through  the  solitary  gable-window,  they  could  see 
several  figures  stretched  in  different  positions  around  them  ; 
but  they  could  not  tell  whether  or  not  they  were  sleepers. 
Major  Stultz  was  alone  communicative  on  that  point — he  lay 
with  his  mouth  wide  open,  and  was  snoring  profoundly. 

"  I  suppose,  Hamilton,  we  ought  to  take  the  places  near 
the  entrance?"  whispered  Zedwitz. 

"  I  cannot  bear  a  draught,"  replied  the  other,  moving 
towards  the  end  of  the  loft,  where  Madame  Rosenberg  and 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  123 

the  children  were  lying.  At  his  approach,  two  figures  began 
slowly  to  roll  away  from  him ;  a  stifled  laugh  and  an  angry 
hush  betrayed  at  once  the  sisters  ;  and  no  sooner  had  he  and 
Zedwitz  chosen  their  places,  than  they  perceived  a  partition- 
wall  of  hay  was  being  built  in  their  neighbourhood.  Soon 
convinced  that  Madame  Rosenberg  and  the  children  slept, 
Hamilton  felt  greatly  inclined  to  commence  a  conversation 
with  the  two  girls ;  but  which  of  them  should  he  address  ? 
From  Hildegarde  he  had  little  hope  of  an  answer — from 
Crescenz  he  felt  that  he  deserved  none.  It  was  in  vain  he 
urged  Zedwitz  to  begin,  telling  him  that  he  could  not  sleep ; 
that  the  hay  was  too  hot,  and  the  loft  too  cold  and  too 
uncomfortable  ;  that  he  could  not  remain  quiet,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. ; 
his  companion  moved  away  from  him,  saying,  in  a  low  voice, 
that  he  knew  Hildegarde  would  not  speak,  and  that  he  had 
nothing  to  say  to  her  sister.  In  a  few  minutes  he,  too,  was 
fast  asleep,  leaving  Hamilton  to  compose  himself  as  he  best 
could.  After  having  tried  all  possible  positions,  he  at  length 
resigned  himself  to  his  fate,  and  determined  not  to  move 
again. 

After  half  an  hour's  silence,  Hildegarde  and  her  sister 
began  to  whisper  to  each  other. 

"  Is  not  that  man's  snoring  dreadful,  Hildegarde  ?  Con- 
fess he  looked  odious  this  evening  at  supper,  sitting  in  his 
shirt-sleeves  like  a  shoemaker  or  tailor  ?" 

"  You  see  him  to  great  disadvantage  in  a  party  of  this 
kind,  dear ;  at  home  I  am  sure  he  is  quite  different — and  as 
to  his  snoring,  you  know  even  papa  snores  sometimes." 

"  I  know  you  are  determined  not  to  see  any  thing  that 
does  not  place  him  in  an  advantageous  light,  and  I  only 
regret  you  did  not  discover  his  perfections  sooner — it  would 
have  saved  me  a  world  of  misery  !" 

To  this  speech  no  answer  was  made,  and  a  long  pause 
ensued. 

"  Hildegarde,  are  you  angry  ?"  asked  Crescenz,  timidly. 

"  No ;  I  am  only  tired  of  always  hearing  the  same  thing." 

"  Forgive  me,  dearest,  and  I  promise  you  have  heard  it 
for  the  last  time ;  but  now  I  expect  that  you  will  give  me  an 
answer  to  a  plain  question.  You  cannot  pretend  any  longer 
to  be  blind  to  Count  Zedwitz's  attentions — what  answer  do 
you  intend  to " 

The  whisperers  had  hitherto  spoken  inaudibly,  but  this 


124  THE  INITIALS. 

question,  from  a  change  of  position  in  the  speaker,  distinctly 
reached  Hamilton's  ears.  Great  was  his  curiosity  to  know 
the  answer,  but  without  a  moment's  delay  he  moved  and 
coughed.  Not  a  sound  more  was  heard,  not  a  whisper  even 
attempted,  during  the  whole  two  long  hours  that  he  still  lay 
awake  and  motionless,  waiting  for  morning. 

And  when  the  morning  came,  Hamilton  slept  soundly ;  he 
saw  not  the  sisters  as  they  passed  his  couch  on  tiptoe ;  he 
heard  not  the  proposal  of  Fritz  to  cover  him  with  hay,  or  of 
Gustle  to  tickle  him,  or  the  admonitions  of  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, and  her  threats  of  leaving  them  always  at  home  in 
future,  should  they  dare  now  to  make  a  noise.  When  he 
awoke  he  found  himself  the  sole  occupant  of  the  loft,  and 
had  at  first  some  difficulty  in  recollecting  how  he  had  got 
there.  It  was  still  very  early,  and  in  the  hope  of  seeing  the 
sun  rise  from  the  top  of  the  alp,  he  hurried  out  into  the 
fresh  morning  air.  The  sun  was,  however,  beyond  the  hori- 
zon, and  bright  day-beams  already  tinted  the  mountain-tops. 
A  few  minutes  brought  him  to  the  spot  where  they  had  all 
sat  round  the  fire  the  preceding  evening  ;  the  charred  wood 
marked  the  spot,  and  had  Hamilton  found  there  the  society 
he  expected,  he  would  probably  have  taken  time  to  have 
once  more  admired  the  prospect  which  had  so  delighted  him 
a  few  hours  before,  and  which  was  now  even  more  beaut'nul 
in  the  distinctness  of  early  morning ;  but  he  was  a  grega- 
rious animal,  and  finding  himself  unexpectedly  alone,  a  hasty 
glance  of  admiration  was  all  he  now  bestowed  on  the  diver- 
sified plain  which  lay  beneath  hiin,.  and  then,  with  hasty 
steps,  he  retraced  his  way  to  the  chalet.  One  of  the  guides 
met  him  at  the  door,  and  informed  him  that  Madame  Rosen- 
berg and  the  others  had  been  gone  some  time,  and  were  to 
dress  and  breakfast  at  the  farm-house  where  they  had  left 
the  carriage.  A  short  time  sufficed  to  enable  him  to  over- 
take the  last  detachment,  consisting  of  Madame  Rosenberg. 
Crescenz,  and  Major  Stultz,  and  they  pursued  their  way 
leisurely  together.  Hildegarde  had  been  sent  on  before  to 
order  breakfast,  and  on  finding  that  Zedwitz  intended  to 
accompany  her,  had  taken  her  two  brothers.  On  reaching 
the  farm-house,  they  found  her  busily  occupied  at  a  table 
placed  under  the  trees,  preparing  bread  and  milk  for  the 
children — Zedwitz  officiously  assisting  her. 

"  What !    are  you   already  dressed    for  Salzburg,   Hilde 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  125 

garde  ?"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg.  "  You  must  have  walked 
very  quickly  ;  I  hope  the  boys  are  not  overheated  !"  and  she 
carefully  placed  her  hand  on  their  foreheads  to  ascertain  the 
fact. 

"  Oh,  mamma,"  cried  Fritz,  boastingly,  "  we  could  have 
walked  much  faster !  We  could  have  been  down  the  moun- 
tain in  half  the  time !  It  was  Zedwitz  who  was  tired ;  he 
wanted  us  twice  to  rest  on  the  way." 

"  It  would  have  been  better  than  running  the  risk  of  giv- 
ing the  children  colds,"  observed  Madame  Rosenberg,  glanc- 
ing towards  Hildegarde. 

"  Oh,  we  did  not  wish  to  rest,  or  Hildegarde,  either, 
though  Zedwitz  said  he  had  ever  so  much  to  say  to  her." 

"  Indeed  !"  cried  his  mother,  looking  inquisitively  from 
one  to  the  other  ;  "  indeed  !"  She  turned  to  Hamilton,  who 
stood  beside  her,  and  whispered,  "  I  shall  not  be  five  minutes 
dressing  ;  you  will  greatly  oblige  me  by  remaining  here 
until  I  return." 

Hamilton  made  no  answer ;  waited,  however,  only  until 
she  was  fairly  out  of  sight,  and  then,  nodding  good-humour- 
edly  to  Zedwitz,  walked  into  the  house.  Madame  Rosen- 
berg's ideas  of  five  minutes  for  dressing  were  not  very 
defined.  She  was  one  of  those  persons  who,  at  home  the 
most  incorrigible  of  slatterns,  when  they  go  out  make  it  a 
point  to  be  almost  overdressed.  Hamilton,  Crescenz,  and 
Major  Stultz  had  long  been  waiting  for  her  before  she  ap- 
peared, and  to  begin  breakfast  without  her  would  have  been 
an  unpardonable  offence.  The  delays  seemed  to  have  no 
end,  for,  as  she  approached  the  table,  Zedwitz,  who  had 
been  standing  apart,  went  towards  her  and  requested  to 
speak  a  few  words  to  her  alone.  Major  Stultz  proposed 
waiting  until  after  breakfast,  but  Zedwitz  persisted  in  his 
request  with  a  seriousness  which  scarcely  admitted  of  a  re- 
fusal, and  the  audience  was  accordingly  granted.  Hamilton 
wished  to  look  at  Hildegarde,  but  he  refrained :  had  he 
done  so,  his  conjectures  might  have  taken  another  turn,  for 
surely  had  Hildegarde  imagined  herself  the  subject  of  con- 
versation, she  could  not  have  leaned  so  calmly  on  her  elbow 
without  exhibiting  the  slightest  particle  of  emotion  !  Cres- 
cenz did  not  seem  to  think  her  sister's  imperturbability  a 
conclusive  argument — her  eyes  anxiously  followed  her  step- 
mother's form,  and  nothing  but  the  shortness  of  the  con- 

11* 


126  THE  INITIALS. 

ference  and  ocular  demonstration  that  they  were  simply 
arranging  accounts,  could  have  convinced  her  that  she  had 
been  mistaken  in  her  supposition  that  Zedwitz  was  formally 
asking  permission  to  pay  his  addresses  to  her  sister.  She 
had  dressed  in  a  room  at  the  front  of  the  house,  and  from 
the  window  had  seen  them  standing  at  the  spring  together. 
Zedwitz  had  spoken  long  and  eagerly,  and  Hildegarde  had 
apparently  listened  very  calmly,  but  with  evident  interest,  to 
what  he  had  said.  Her  answer  was  short  and  decided,  and 
she  had  left  him  abruptly  to  interfere  between  her  brothers, 
who  were  flinging  the  remains  of  their  bread  and  milk  at 
each  other.  It  had  cost  both  sisters  considerable  trouble  to 
purify  their  garments  before  their  mother  saw  them. 

A  small  carriage  was  now  drawn  up  to  the  front  of  the 
house,  and  a  youthful  peasant  led  out  a  young,  strong-built 
gray  horse,  and  began  to  arrange  the  harness.  Zedwitz  ad- 
vanced quietly  towards  the  party,  and  surprised  them  not  a 
little  by  saying  that  he  was  about  to  take  leave  of  them — 
he  did  not  feel  well,  and  would  return  to  Seon. 

"  You  are  ill !"  cried  Hamilton,  starting  up  from  the 
bench  where  he  had  been  reclining ;  "  you  are  ill,  and  think 
of  returning  alone  ! — that  must  not  be  allowed.  I  am  quite 
ready  to  accompany  you." 

"  It  is  not  necessary,"  replied  Zedwitz,  laying  his  hand 
heavily  on  his  arm,  while  he  continued  to  take  leave  of  the 
others,  and  hoped  their  tour  might  prove  in  every  re- 
spect agreeable.  "  The  fact  is,"  he  said,  drawing  Hamilton 
towards  the  little  carriage,  which  it  appeared  had  been  got 
ready  for  him  ;  "  the  fact  is,  I  am  ill  in  mind,  but  not  in 
body.  Hildegarde  has  refused  my  suit  so  decidedly  that  I 
dare  not  renew  it.  The  best  thing  I  can  now  do  is  to  return 
to  Seon,  and  perhaps  I  may  arrive  in  time  to  prevent  my 
sister  from  speaking  to  my  father.  My  rash  haste  may 
have  injured  my  cause.  How  could  I  expect  her  to  get 
accustomed  to  my  ugliness  and  to  care  for  me  in  so  short  a 
time  ?" 

"  I  think,"  said  Hamilton,  "  it  is  more  than  probable  that 
her  fear  of  the  opposition  of  your  family  may  have  caused 
her  refusal." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it ;  she  never  referred  to  my  family,  nor, 
indeed,  had  I  time  to  mention  them.  She  said  she  liked  me 
very  well  as  an  acquaintance,  but  nothing  more ;    she  was 


AN  ALPINE  PARTY.  127 

sorry  if  her  manner  had  led  me  to  think  otherwise.  Now  I 
was  obliged,  in  justice,  to  exonerate  her  from  even  a  shadow 
of  coquetry,  which  in  this  case  was  disagreeable,  as  it  was 
tantamount  to  charging  myself  with  egregious  vanity ;  but 
the  most  annoying  and  disheartening  thing  in  the  whole 
business  was  her  coolness  and  decision  of  manner ;  it  led  me 
at  once  to  form  the  conclusion  that  I  was  not  the  first  per- 
son who  had  spoken  to  her  on  the  same  subject.  Do  you 
think  it  possible  that  her  affections  are  already  engaged?" 

"  I  neither  think  it  possible  nor  even  probable.  Why,  she 
has  not  left  school  more  than  two  months." 

"  Her  sister  left  school  at  the  same  time,  is  a  year 
younger,  and  yet  has  contrived  to  fall  in  love  with  you,  and 
to  promise  to  marry  another  in  exactly  half  the  time,"  said 
Zedwitz,  bitterly. 

"  Pray  do  not  imagine  anything  of  that  kind,"  said  Ham- 
ilton, colouring  deeply ;  "  she  is  merely  one  of  those  soft, 
yielding  sort  of  beings,  who,  with  a  more  than  sufliciency  of 
vanity  and  coquetry  in  their  nature,  are  ready  to  fancy 
themselves  and  others  in  love  without  rightly  knowing  what 
the  feeling  is.  This  Hildegarde  is  worth  a  hundred  such. 
I  like  her  decision  of  character,  and  she  is  certainly  very 
handsome." 

"  Handsome  !  she  is  perfectly  beautiful  I"  cried  Zedwitz ; 
"  and  I  am  convinced  she  is  as  amiable  as  beautiful !" 

"  If  you  are  convinced  of  that,  you  are  very  wrong  to  give 
her  up  as  you  are  doing.  Try  what  time  and  perseverance 
will  do." 

"  My  dear  Hamilton,  if  you  had  spoken  to  her,  if  you  had 
even  seen  her  when  I  pleaded  my  cause,  you  would  think 
differently.  When  we  meet  again,  it  will  be  as  common  ac- 
quaintances. But  every  moment  is  precious,  and  I  must  now 
be  off.  I  shall  take  post-horses  at  the  next  town,  and  hope 
to  reach  Seon  in  the  afternoon.  I  hope  most  sincerely  that 
my  sister  has  had  no  opportunity  of  speaking  to  my  father. 
I  shall  scarcely  be  at  Seon  when  you  return ;  but  you  know 
my  address  in  Munich,  and  I  shall  expect  to  see  you  directly 
you  arrive  there.     Adieu  !" 

He  sprang  into  the  carriage,  bowed  to  the  occupants  of 
the  breakfast-table,  and  drove  off,  while  Hamilton,  leaning 
against  the  door  of  the  house,  looked  after  him.  "  So,"  he 
thought,  "  this  is  the  man  I  fancied  full  of  German  romance 


128  THE  INITIALS. 

and  enthusiasm  !  Why,  my  brother  John  could  not  have 
resigned  himself  to  his  fate  more  easily  ;  but  then  he  would 
have  made  a  parade  of  his  indifference.  Englishmen  are 
fond  of  doing  so,  while  Germans,  I  suspect,  are  disposed  to 
pretend  to  more  feeling  than  they  possess.  Yet,  after  all, 
what  could  he  have  done  ?  Shoot  himself,  like  Werter  ? 
Absurd  ?  What  should  I  have  done  ?  I  have  not  the  most 
remote  idea  ;  but.  then,  I  have  never  got  beyond  temporary 
admiration  for  anyone.  Very  odd,  too.  Jack  says  he  was 
in  love  before  he  was  twelve  years  old.  Precocious  fellow  ! 
Zedwitz  was  right  the  other  day  when  he  said  that  my  feel- 
ings and  ideas  were  not  those  of  a  man  of  my  time  of  life. 
However,  I  flatter  myself  that  what  I  have  lost  in  what  he 
calls  freshness  of  feeling,  I  have  gained  in  other  respects,  and 
can  now,  in  spite  of  my  youth,  calmly  contemplate  what  is 
going  on  about  me,  while  Zedwitz,  so  many  years  my  senior, 
has  been  acting  with  all  the  rash  impetuosity  of  a  boy." 

In  all  the  proud  consciousness  of  premature  knowledge  of 
the  world,  Hamilton  seated  himself  at  the  breakfast-table, 
and  allowed  Madame  Rosenberg  to  pour  out  his  coffee,  and 
wonder  without  interruption  what  could  be  the  matter  with 
the  Count,  who,  she  insisted,  had  been  quite  well  all  the 
morning.  His  eyes  glanced  mischievously  towards  Hilde- 
garde,  but  she  apparently  did  not  observe  it.  Madame 
Rosenberg  now  began  deliberately  to  pack  up  the  remaining 
sugar  in  her  reticule.  Half  an  hour  later  they  were  seated 
in  the  char-a-hanc  on  their  way  to  Salzburg.  Zedwitz's 
absence  was  greatly  felt,  for  he  was  cheerful  and  good- 
natured.  Hamilton  had  determined  not  even  to  look  at 
Crescenz,  while  Hildegarde  appeared  to  have  formed  the 
same  resolution  with  regard  to  him.  A  sort  of  discontent 
seemed  to  pervade  the  whole  party  for  some  time,  but  by 
degrees  it  yielded  to  the  beauty  of  the  scenery.  Madame 
Rosenberg,  having  once  spent  some  months  at  Salzburg,  was 
now  able  to  name  each  mountain  as  it  appeared  in  the  fore- 
ground, or  made  itself  remarkable  by  its  form  in  the  dis- 
tance. But  the  Untersberg  interested  her  two  sons  more 
than  anything  else.  This  mountain,  which  here  rises  abruptly 
out  of  Walser  fields,  and  is  of  enormous  extent,  was,  she  told 
them,  the  prison  and  tomb  of  Frederick  Barbarossa,  or,  as  the 
peasants  said,  of  Charlemagne.  The  questions  and  answers 
on  this  fruitful  subject  lasted  until  they  reached  Salzburg. 


SALZBURG.  129 


CHAPTER   IX. 

SALZBURG. 

While  waiting  for  dinner  at  the  hotel,  Hamilton  amused 
himself  turning  over  the  leaves  of  the  "  strangers'  book," 
and  saw  among  the  latest  arrivals  the  name  of  an  uncle  he 
had  wished  much  to  meet  when  he  had  been  last  in  Salzburg  ; 
he  would  then  have  been  glad  to  have  had  an  opportunity  of 

presenting  some  respectable  relations  to  Baron  Z ,  after 

the  old  manner  in  which  their  acquaintance  had  commenced. 
He  now  wished  to  see  his  relations  from  more  natural  motives, 
without  either  the  wish  or  intention  of  making  them  ac- 
quainted with  his  travelling  companions.  There  is  some- 
thing peculiarly  agreeable  in  hearing  the  voices  of  one's 
countrymen  speaking  one's  own  language  in  a  foreign  coun- 
try ;  even  if  they  be  merely  common  acquaintances,  they  rise 
at  once  to  the  rank  of  friends :  if  friends,  to  relations — if 
relations,  we  are  astonished  at  the  excess  of  our  affection  for 
them  !  Something  of  this  kind  Hamilton  experienced  as  he 
heard  his  uncle  saying,  "  A  young  gentleman  inquiring  for 
me  !  What  is  his  name  ?"  In  a  moment  he  had  quitted  the 
table,  and  was  in  the  lobby  before  the  question  could  be  an- 
swered. The  surprise,  perhaps,  heightened  the  pleasure  felt 
by  his  two  young  and  pretty  cousins,  and  their  reception  of 
him  was  so  unreservedly  affectionate,  that  as  they  came  near 
the  door  of  the  dining-room,  Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  ex- 
changed glances,  and  then  fixed  their  eyes  on  them  with  a 
slight  expression  of  curiosity. 

"  What  a  pity  you  did  not  arrive  earlier,  Alfred  ;  we  have 
spent  the  whole  morning  sight-seeing,  and  now  the  horses  are 
being  put-to,  and  we  have  scarcely  ten  minutes  to  ask  each 

other  the  thousand   questions  which But  come  to  our 

rooms — we  cannot  possibly  talk  before  these  people." 

"  They  would  not  understand  us,"  said  Hamilton,  fol- 
lowing them  up  the  stairs,  by  no  means  displeased  with  the 
arrangement. 

Madame  Bosenberg  soon  became  impatient  at  the  dura- 


130  THE  INITIALS. 

tion  of  his  absence,  and  leaving  word  with  the  waiter  that 
Mr.  Hamilton  might  follow  them  to  St.  Peter's  cellar,  she 
proposed  herself  as  guide,  and  they  set  out  on  their  ex- 
cursion. 

Hamilton  accompanied  his  uncle  and  cousins  to  their  very 
handsome  travelling-carriage,  and  as  he  bade  them  adieu 
for  the  twentieth  time,  his  uncle  called  out,  "  Gi-od  bless  you, 
Alfred !  I  shall  tell  your  father  and  uncle  Ralph  that  I 
found  you  greatly  improved.  If  they  had  kept  you  in  Lon- 
don, your  brother  John  would  have  spoiled  you,  and  made 
you  just  as  good-for-nothing  as  he  is  himself.  Nothing  like 
travelling  for  enlarging  the  ideas.     Good-by  !" 

The  waiter  informed  Hamilton  that  the  ladies  were  gone 
to  St.  Peter's  cellar. 

"  Major  Stultz,  you  mean?"  said  Hamilton. 

"  No,  sir — the  ladies — perhaps  they  have  gone  to  look  at 
the  excavation  in  the  rock.  The  cellar  is  in  the  mountain, 
and  is  worth  seeing." 

The  monks  of  St.  Peter  are  the  actual  proprietors  of  this 
cellar,  which  adjoins,  and  in  fact  is  still  a  part  of  the  monas- 
tery ;  it  is  the  wine  from  their  Hungarian  vineyards  which 
is  there  sold,  and  the  entrance  to  the  drinking-rooms  is  from 
the  principal  quadrangle.  Arrived  there,  Hamilton  imme- 
diately accosted  a  man  who,  in  a  jacket  and  apron,  and  with 
a  green  velvet  cap  on  his  head,  stood  before  the  entrance  of 
the  excavation. 

"  Ladies  !  Oh,  ha — yes — they  are  within,"  he  answered, 
leading  the  way,  through  a  small,  dark  passage,  to  two  low 
rooms,  filled  with  the  fumes  of  tobacco.  Hamilton  entered, 
and  found  his  travelling  companions  actually  seated  at  a 
table,  drinking  wine,  in  a  room  crowded  with  Hungarian 
officers,  who  seemed  equally  surprised  and  amused  at  the 
unusual  appearance  of  such  an  addition  to  their  society. 
Madame  Rosenberg  was  quietly  sipping  her  wine,  and  talk- 
ing earnestly  to  Major  Stultz  near  a  window,  quite  uncon- 
scious of  the  sensation  which  she  and  her  party  had  created 
and  the  by  no  means  whispered  exclamations  of  admiration 
which  were  echoed  on  all  sides,  and  which  produced  most 
opposite  effects  on  the  objects  of  them.  Crescenz  looked 
half-frightened,  half-pleased,  and  blushed  incessantly.  Hil- 
degarde's  countenance  denoted  annoyance,  bordering  on 
anger,  as  she  sat  biting  her  under  lip,  while  every  trace  of 


SALZBURG.  131 

colour  had  forsaken  her  face.  Hamilton  felt  extremely  irri- 
tated, and  looked  round  the  room  with  a  portentous  frown, 
to  see  if  any  one  had  been  more  forward  than  the  others  ; 
but  in  vain — broad,  sallow,  good-humoured  faces,  and  small, 
sparkling  black  eyes  met  his  angry  glance  wherever  he 
turned  ;  and  as  the  conversation  was  now  principally  carried 
on  in  their  native  language,  he  could  only  surmise,  but  no 
longer  be  certain  of,  the  subject  of  discourse.  The  eyes  of 
all  were  still  turned  on  the  two  sisters ;  and  Hamilton,  after 
a  moment's  hesitation,  proposed  escorting  them  to  the  Maxi- 
mus  chapel,  which  was  near,  and  where  they  could  wait  for 
their  mother.  Hildegarde  started  up  without  asking  the 
permission,  which,  however,  was  accorded  without  difficulty  : 
and  the  two  boys,  to  their  infinite  annoyance,  were  also 
ordered  off.  On  perceiving  their  mother  engaged  in  confi- 
dential conversation  with  Major  Stultz,  they  had  freely 
helped  themselves  to  wine,  and  were  now  in  outrageous 
spirits.  On  entering  the  St.  Peter's  churchyard,  they  com- 
menced springing  over  the  graves  in  a  most  irreverent  man- 
ner, declaring  they  had  never  before  seen  so  jolly  a  church- 
yard !  Crescenz  looked  infinitely  shocked,  entreated  they 
would  not  make  so  much  noise ;  and  finding  her  remon- 
strance useless,  she  turned  to  the  St.  Margaret's  chapel,  a 
small  building  in  the  middle  of  the  burying-ground,  and 
leaning  against  the  iron  railing  which  formed  at  once  its 
door  and  gable-end,  she  folded  her  hands  reverently,  and 
prayed.  The  custom  in  Roman  Catholic  countries  of  leaving 
the  church-doors  constantly  open,  most  certainly  conduces  to 
promote  piety.  Many  a  giddy  girl  whose  thoughts  have 
wandered  as  unrestrained  as  her  glances  down  the  crowded 
aisle,  has  sought  the  same  spot  afterwards  in  solitude,  to 
offer  up  supplications  and  thanksgivings  as  fervent,  perhaps, 
as  ever  were  breathed.  Much  as  has  been  said  of  the  im- 
posing ritual  of  the  Church  of  Rome — of  the  almost  irre- 
sistible effect  of  high  mass,  when  properly  celebrated — it  is 
nothing  in  comparison  to  the  solemn  silence  of  a  week-day 
afternoon,  when  the  stillness  around  makes  the  solitary  foot- 
fall echo,  and  those  who  come  to  pray  can  bend  the  knee  and 
clasp  the  hand,  without  exciting  the  inquisitive  gaze  of  a 
less  piously  disposed  neighbour. 

Hamilton  had  gone  in  search  of  the  person  who  had  the 
keys  of  the  Maximus  chapel.     On  his  return  he  found  Hil  • 


132  THE  INITIALS. 

degarde  standing  thoughtfully  opposite  a  newly-made  tomb, 
on  which  a  placard  was  placed,  with  the  words : — "  This 
tomb  is  to  be  sold." 

"  I  should  like  extremely  to  know  your  thoughts,"  he  said, 
quietly  placing  himself  beside  her. 

"  Should  you  ?  They  would  scarcely  repay  you  for  the 
trouble  of  listening." 

"  I  am  quite  willing  to  make  the  trial." 

"  But  I  am  much  too  lazy  to  attempt  collecting  all  the 
scattered  thoughts  of  the  last  ten  minutes." 

"  The  very  last  I  can  guess,  perhaps,"  said  Hamilton  ; 
"  your  eyes  were  fixed  on  that  placard,  and  you  thought " 

"Well,  what?" 

"  Where  are  now  the  future  occupiers  of  that  tomb  ?  Am 
I  not  right?" 

"  Quite  right.  Wherever  they  are,  and  whoever  they 
may  be,  they  certainly  have  no  wish  to  enter  here.  The 
buyers  of  tombs  are  seldom  disposed  to  enter  into  actual 
possession.  But  where  is  this  Maximus  chapel  ?  You  said 
it  was  in  the  mountain,  and  I  see  nothing  in  the  least  like 
an  entrance,  although  there  are  three  windows  and  a  wall 
up  there." 

"  The  windows  were  formerly  mere  holes  made  in  the  rock, 
and  ought  never  tc  have  been  glazed.  Through  the  largest 
of  them  fifty  monks,  who  had  taken  refuge  with  Maximus, 
were  thrown  headlong  down  the  mountain  by  the  barbarians 
who  took  possession  of  Salzburg  in  the  fifth  century." 

"And  Maximus?" 

"  He  was  hung." 

"  That  was  a  pity — I  dare  say  he  would  have  preferred 
being  thrown  over  the  precipice." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  As  it  all  came  to  the  same  in  the 
end,  I  should  imagine  it  must  rather  have  been  a  matter  of 
indifference  to  him." 

"  But  I  do  not,"  cried  Hildegarde,  stopping  suddenly. 
"  I  think  the  manner  in  which  one  is  put  to  death  of  great 
importance ;  I  am  sure  you  would  prefer  being  beheaded  to 
being  hung." 

"  The  choice  would  be  distressing ;  but  I  believe  you  are 
right ;  I  should  certainly  choose  being  beheaded,  as  the  more 
gentlemanlike  death  of  the  two,  though  I  remember  reading 
in  some  book  of  the  horrible  hypothesis — that  the  eye  could 


SALZBURG.  133 

see,  the  ear  hear,  and  the  brain  think,  for  some  moments 
after  the  head  had  been  severed  from  the  body." 

The  guide  jingled  his  keys.  He  probably  thought  the 
discussion  of  such  subjects  might  be  deferred  until  he  had 
received  his  Trinkgeld,  and  he  now  threw  open  the  gate  and 
motioned  to  them  to  ascend.  The  tolerably  numerous  steps 
leading  to  the  former  abode  and  chapel  of  the  anchorite  were 
hewn  in  the  mountain,  the  passage  somewhat  dark,  and  Hilde- 
garde  having  declined  any  assistance,  Hamilton,  notwith- 
standing all  his  good  resolutions  to  avoid  Crescenz  in  future, 
turned  towards  her,  was  greeted  with  a  soft  smile,  and  his 
arm  accepted  as  willingly  as  it  was  offered.  He  now  took 
upon  himself  the  office  of  guide,  exhibited  the  chapel  with 
its  solitary  Roman  pillar,  the  sleepingvroom  of  Maximus,  and 
the  place  from  which  his  companions  had  been  precipitated. 
He  was  obliged  to  hold  Crescenz,  while  she  childishly  stretched 
as  far  as  possible  over  the  mountain  side,  all  the  while  de- 
claring that  she  could  not  stand  on  the  brink  of  a  precipice 
without  feeling  an  almost  irresistible  inclination  to  throw 
herself  down  it.  No  sooner  had  her  two  brothers  heard  this, 
than  they  rushed  forward  and  thoughtlessly  pushed  her 
with  a  violence  that  might  have  had  most  fatal  consequences 
had  not  Hamilton  at  the  moment  thrown  his  arm  quite 
around  her  and  drawn  her  back.  Crescenz  screamed 
violently,  Fritz  and  Gustle  laughed  immoderately,  Hilde- 
garde  remonstrated  angrily,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  clamour 
Madame  Rosenberg  and  Major  Stultz  joined  them.  Cres- 
cenz blushed  deeply,  and,  with  a  voice  trembling  from  agita- 
tion, related  what  had  occurred,  and  complained  bitterly  of 
her  brothers'  rudeness.  Madame  Rosenberg  scolded  her  for 
having  looked  down  the  precipice  ;  Hildegarde  for  not  having 
watched  her  brothers  and  prevented  such  a  scene  in  such  a 
place ;  and  concluded  by  seizing  both  the  brothers  by  the 
shoulders  and  shaking  them  violently,  while  she  declared 
that  she  had  a  great  mind  to  send  them  back  to  the  inn,  and 
not  let  them  see  either  the  Don  church  or  the  fountain. 
She  turned  to  thank  Hamilton  for  having  taken  charge  of 
so  riotous  a  party,  but  he  had  disappeared,  annoyed  at  what 
had  occurred,  and  internally  vowing  never  to  take  charge  of 
Crescenz  or  her  brothers  again. 

Major  Stultz  had  suddenly  become  jealous  and  out  of 
temper ;  all  the  efforts  of  Madame  Rosenberg  to  turn  "  the 

12 


134  THE  INITIALS. 

winter  of  his  discontent"  to  "  glorious  summer"  were  vain ; 
he  followed  her,  half  whistling,  with  his  hands  clasped  be- 
hind him,  intending  to  look  extremely  unconcerned ;  while 
his  heightened  colour,  as  they  overtook  Hamilton,  betrayed 
to  all  the  cause  of  his  annoyance.  Crescenz  seemed  perfectly 
indifferent,  or  rather,  half  disposed  to  brave  his  anger ;  for 
as  they  stood  by  Hadyns  monument,  in  the  St.  Peter's  church, 
she  placed  herself  beside  Hamilton,  and  spoke  to  him  in 
French.  It  is  true,  the  conversation  was  about  the  skull  of 
Haydn,  and  the  black  marble  urn  which  contained  it ;  but 
Major  Stultz  could  not  be  aware  of  this  circumstance;  and, 
with  increased  anger,  he  strode  down  the  aisle,  seeming  dis- 
posed to  quit  them,  had  not  Hamilton,  weary  of  these  mis- 
understandings, and  provoked  by  Crescenz's  coquetry,  said 
that  he  would  meet  them  at  the  hotel  in  an  hour  ;  he  was 
going  to  the  cavalry  stables  to  see  the  horses,  which,  of 
course,  would  not  be  interesting  to  them,  and  without  wait- 
ing for  an  answer,  he  walked  away. 

Hamilton's  absence  did  not  seem  to  have  much  improved 
the  state  of  affairs,  for  on  his  return  to  the  inn,  no  one  but 
Madame  Rosenberg  seemed  disposed  to  be  loquacious ;  and 
when  they  got  into  the  char-a-banc,  which  was  to  take  them 
to  Berchtesgaden,  Crescenz  absolutely  maneuvred  to  avoid 
Major  Stultz  ;  and  on  being  ordered  by  her  mother  to  sit 
beside  him,  pouted  in  the  most  significant  manner.  Madame 
Rosenberg  chose  this  time  to  take  charge  of  her  two  sons 
herself ;  she  thought  their  vicinity  might  interrupt  the  recon- 
ciliation between  Major  Stultz  and  Crescenz,  which  she  evi- 
dently wished  to  promote,  but  which  seemed  less  likely  than 
ever  to  take  place,  as  Crescenz  chose  now  to  appear  or  to  be 
excessively  offended.  This  line  of  conduct  had  the  effect  of 
making  poor  Major  Stultz  imagine  that  he  had  been,  perhaps, 
too  hasty — unjust — uncivil — in  short,  he  very  soon  accused 
himself  of  being  a  savage !  and  as  these  thoughts  passed 
through  his  brain,  his  manners  and  words  softened  ;  he 
became  humble,  and  even  entreated  forgiveness  for  the 
unknown  offence  ;  but  all  in  vain — Crescenz  scarcely  answered 
him — in  fact,  she  had  not  heard  him,  for  her  whole  attention 
was  absorbed  in  the  conversation  of  her  sister  and  Hamilton, 
who  were  immediately  before  her  ;  she  fancied  that  neither 
had  disliked  the  arrangement  which  had  placed  them  together. 
The  latter,  especially,  seemed  determined  to  amuse  and  be 


SALZBURG.  135 

amused,  and  for  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half  the  conversa- 
tion never  flagged.  Madame  Rosenberg  occasionally  joined 
in  it,  and  Major  Stultz  also  chimed  in  when  he  found  all  his 
efforts  to  obtain  answers  from  Crescenz  fruitless.  They  had 
nearly  reached  Berchtesgaden,  and  Hamilton  had  just  begun 
to  congratulate  himself  on  having  at  length  discovered  the 
possibility  of  talking  to  Hildegarde  without  quarrelling, 
when  Major  Stultz  abruptly  asked  him  if  he  had  been  to 
see  the  summer  riding-school. 

"  Can  you  doubt  it  ?  It  is  the  prettiest  thing  of  the  kind 
I  have  ever  seen — the  beau  ideal  of  an  ancient  theatre. 
That  the  tiers  of  seats  for  the  spectators  are  hewn  out  of 
the  mountain,  enhances  its  grandeur,  and  makes  one  forget 
that  it  is  only  a  riding-school.  What  a  place  for  a  tourna- 
ment !  or  for  gladiators  ;  or  what  an  arena  for  wild  beasts  ! " 

"  Exactly  what  we  all  said  when  we  were  there  to-day," 
exclaimed  Hildegarde. 

"  Yes,"  said  Crescenz,  for  the  first  time  joining  in  the  con- 
versation ;  "  we  all  said  that ;  but  Hildegarde  and  I  thought 
of  Schiller's  Ballad  of  the  Glove;  didn't  we,  Hildegarde  ?  " 

Hildegarde  nodded. 

"  It  is  odd  enough,  I  thought  of  it  too,"  said  Hamilton ; 
"  the  tiger  attacked  by  the  two  leopards ;  the  lion  rising  to 
join  in  the  combat — I  saw  it  all  in  imagination — fancied 
myself  the  Knight  Delorges,  and  looked  round  to  see  if  no 
Cunigunde  were  there  to  throw  her  glove  amid  the  com- 
batants." 

"  Did  you  think  of  any  particular  person  as  Cunigunde?" 
asked  Crescenz,  softly,  and  with  a  slight  blush. 

"  Perhaps  I  did,"  replied  Hamilton,  laughing. 

"  Oh,  I  should  like  so  much  to  know  whom  you  thought 
of!     Should  not  you,  Hildegarde?  " 

"  If  Mr.  Hamilton  wish  to  tell "  began  Hildegarde. 

•  "  I  prefer  walking  up  the  hill  into  the  town,"  said  Hamil- 
ton, springing  out  of  the  open  side  of  the  carriage. 

"  Let  us  all  walk,"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg,  desiring  the 
coachman  to  stop  ;  "  my  feet  are  quite  cramped." 

Hamilton  had  hoped  to  escape  further  questioning,  but 
Crescenz  commenced  again  as  they  walked  along  together. 

"  Your  avoidance  of  my  question  has  raised  my  curiosity, 
and  you  positively  must  tell  me  of  whom  you  thought  in  the 
riding-school,  to-day." 


136  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Pray,  Crescenz,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  do  not  force  Mr. 
Hamilton  to  give  an  answer  ;  it  must  be  totally  uninteresting 
to  you — remember  the  number  of  acquaintances  he  must 
have  in  England  whose  names  are  unknown  to  us." 

"  If  it  had  been  anyone  in  England,  or  anyone  unknown 
to  us,  he  would  have  answered  my  question  at  once,  and 
without  hesitation,"  replied  Crescenz,  with  unusual  decision 
of  manner. 

Hildegarde,  struck  with  the  reply,  experienced  herself  a 
feeling  of  curiosity  which  greatly  surprised  her.  She  walked 
on  in  silence,  and  soon  heard  her  sister  continue  in  a  very 
low  voice — 

"  I  am  sure  you  did  not  think  of  me  !  " 

"  Certainly  not,"  he  replied,  in  the  same  tone ;  "  you  are 
too  kind  and  too  gentle  to  place  the  life  even  of  an  enemy  in 
such  jeopard}T." 

Crescenz  seemed  not  quite  to  know  whether  she  were  satis- 
fied or  disappointed.  She  would  have  liked  to  have  been  his 
lady-love,  would  have  wished  to  imagine  that  he  would  have 
picked  up  her  glove  at  such  an  imminent  risk ;  yet  his  man- 
ner and  words  implied  nothing  flattering  to  the  supposed 
Cunigunde ;  and  although  she  did  not  quite  understand  his 
meaning,  she  knew  that  he  had  said  that  she  was  kind 
and  gentle,  and  she  felt  that  she  ought  to  be  satisfied.  Not 
so  Hildegarde ;  she  understood  well  the  vanity  and  callous- 
ness of  the  character  sketched  in  a  few  words  by  Schiller ; 
she  fancied  that  Hamilton  disliked  her,  and  an  irresistible 
impulse  made  her  turn  on  him,  and  say,  abruptly,  "  You 
thought  of  me !  " 

The  blood  mounted  to  his  temples,  and  seemed  to  take 
refuge  in  his  hair,  as  he  returned  Hildegarde's  glance,  yet 
hesitated  in  answering ;  but  he  could  not  deny  it,  and  re- 
plied, after  a  moment's  consideration  :  "  Thoughts  are  not 
subject  to  control ;  you  have  no  right  to  make  me  answerable 
for  them." 

"  I  have  no  intention  of  doing  so,"  she  replied  ;  "  I  care 
too  little  about  you  to  give  myself  the  trouble  of  convincing 
you  that  you  do  not  understand  my  character  in  the  least. 
On  the  contrary,  I  confess  that  were  you  disposed  to  play 
the  part  of  the  knight,  perhaps  I  might  throw  down  my 
glove,  and  be  glad  to  get  rid  of  you  on  any  terms." 

"  Even  were  I  to  be  torn  to  pieces  in  your  presence  by  the 


SALZBURG.  137 

wild  beasts  ?  I  did  not  think  you  were  so  cruel ! "  said 
Hamilton,  amused  at  her  irritated  manner. 

"  The  danger  for  you  would  not  be  very  great.  You  are 
the  last  person  in  the  world  to  do  any  thing  of  that  kind." 

"  Do  you  doubt  my  personal  courage  ?  " 

"  No  ;  but  I  doubt  your  possessing  knightly  feelings." 

"  I  am,  it  is  true,  no  '  Don  Quixote,'  no  knight  of  the  sor- 
rowful countenance " 

"  No,  indeed ;  you  much  more  deserve  the  name  of  the 
knight  of  the  scornful  countenance — that  is,  if  one  could 
fancy  you  a  knight  at  all." 

"  I  have  no  doubt,  mademoiselle,  that  were  your  fancy  to 
form  one,  he  would  in  no  respect  resemble  me  ;  however,  we 
need  not  quarrel  on  the  supposition  of  what  we  should  have 
done  had  we  been  born  a  few  hundred  years  sooner ;  it  is 
evident  you  would  not  have  chosen  me  for  your  knight — nor 
I — perhaps — you,  for  my  lady-love." 

"  Oh,  dear  !  "  exclaimed  Crescenz,  "  if  I  had  thought  that 
you  two  would  have  quarrelled,  I  would  not  have  asked  any 
questions  ;  though  I  do  not  understand  why  Hildegarde  is  so 
offended  at  being  thought  like  Cunigunde,  who,  I  dare  say, 
was  the  handsomest  lady  present." 

"  Your  sister  is  not  satisfied  with  being  merely  handsome; 
she  wishes  to  be  thought  amiable  also,  and  seems  disposed  to 
force  people  to  say  so,  whatever  they  may  think  to  the  con- 
trary." 

Hildegarde  walked  haughtily  towards  her  stepmother, 
and  reached  her  just  in  time  to  hear  the  concluding  words 
of  what  appeared  to  be  Major  Stultz's  remonstrances. 

"  His  being  an  Englishman  does  not,  in  my  opinion,  alter 
the  case,  or  make  him  a  less  dangerous  companion  for  your 
daughters.  I  do  not  presume  to  dictate.  I  merely  offer  ad- 
vice, which  you  do  not  seem  disposed  to  take  ;  and  nothing 
now  remains  for  me  but  to  beg  of  you  to  hurry  as  much  as 
possible  the  preparations  for  Crescenz's  marriage.  A  few 
scenes  such  as  we  have  had  to  day  would  soon  cure  me  of  all 
fancy  for  her.  You  told  me  she  was  good-tempered,  and  I 
have  found  her  so  sullen  since  we  left  Salzburg,  that  it  is 
impossible  to  obtain  a  word  from  her." 

"  My  dear  Major,  you  may  depend  upon  my  reprimanding 
her  severely  for  such  conduct " 

"  By  no  means,  madame  ;  I  don't  wish  her  to  be  repri- 
12* 


138  THE  INITIALS. 

manded.  I  shall  speak  to  her  myself,  and  tell  her  that  I 
have  a  comfortable  home  to  offer  her ;  that  I  am  supposed  to 
be  an  indulgent  husband,  but  that  I  am  too  old  to  play  lover, 
and  altogether  decline  entering  into  competition  with  .such  a 
rival  as  that  tall  Englishman,  who,  however,  I  can  also  tell 
her,  has  no  more  idea  of  marriage  than  the  man  in  the 
moon  !  " 

"But,  my  dear  Major,  I  really  must  beg  of  you  not  to 
mention  the  Englishman  to  her.  It  will  only  put  an  idea 
into  her  head  which  I  am  convinced  has  never  entered  it. 
You  forget  what  a  mere  child  she  is — not  yet  sixteen  !  " 

Major  Stultz  turned  round  suddenly  to  look  at  his  be- 
trothed ;  the  moment  was  unpropitious  for  removing  jealous 
doubts.  She  was  walking  alone  with  Hamilton,  and  speak- 
ing with  an  earnestness  totally  foreign  to  her  character, 
while  the  expression  of  her  upturned  eyes  denoted  anything 
but  childishness. 

"  This  will  never  do  !  "  exclaimed  Major  Stultz,  angrily. 

"  You  wrong  her  most  assuredly,"  cried  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, with  a  sort  of  blind  reliance  on  Crescenz's  childishness, 
which  this  time,  however,  did  not  deceive  her :  "  You  wrong 
her,  and  I  will  prove  it  by  asking  her  what  she  is  talking 
about.  Crescenz,  my  love,  we  wish  to  know  the  subject  of 
your  discourse — it  seems  to  be  interesting." 

Crescenz  answered  without  hesitation,  "  I  am  defending 
Hildegarde ;  Mr.  Hamilton  and  she  have  quarrelled  about 
the  Ballad  of  the  Glove.  He  says  she  was  rude  ;  and  I 
think  he  was  rude ;  for  he  said  if  he  had  been  a  knight  he 
would  not  have  chosen  her  for  his  lady-love.  I  do  not 
think  of  being  angry,  and  he  did  not  choose  me  either,"  she 
added,  glancing  half  reproachfully. 

On  another  occasion  Madame  Rosenberg  would  have  in- 
quired further,  and  given,  perhaps,  an  edifying  lecture  on 
politeness  and  propriety  of  language ;  she  was  now  too  well 
satisfied  with  Crescenz's  answer  to  think  of  anything  of  the 
kind,  and  turning  triumphantly  to  Major  Stultz,  she  whis- 
pered, "  You  see  I  was  right.  I  cannot  answer  for  Hilde- 
garde. Rosenberg  says  I  do  not  understand  her ;  but  Cres- 
cenz is  a  good  girl — almost  too  good  and  docile.  You  can 
make  whatever  you  please  of  her." 

They  all  walked  together  to  the  inn,  and  TJw  Glove 
seemed  to  be  quite  forgotten. 


TEE  RETURN  TO  MUNICH.  139 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE   RETURN   TO    MUNICH. 

Hamilton's  journey  to  Munich  proved  more  agreeable 
than  the  commencement  had  promised.  Hildegarde,  the 
maid,  Peppy,  and  Fritz  were  his  companions;  the  others 
occupied  the  second  carriage  and  chose  to  be  together,  as 
Fritz  sapiently  observed,  in  order  to  talk  secrets  about 
Cressy's  wedding.  Hildegarde  exhibited  her  dislike  to 
Hamilton  so  artlessly  that  he  could  scarcely  preserve  a 
serious  countenance,  while  he  endeavoured  to  overcome  it. 
The  averted  head,  short,  careless  answers,  and  pertinacious 
discourse  with  brother  Fritz,  could  not,  however,  long  resist 
his  efforts.  He  was  possessed  of  no  inconsiderable  advan- 
tages, both  of  mind  and  manner,  and  of  this  he  was,  per- 
haps, but  too  well  aware,  sometimes  unnecessarily  under- 
valuing the  intellect  of  others,  while  he  indulged  in  a  vein 
of  satire  most  displeasing  when  it  became  evident.  Hilde- 
garde had  noticed  this  in  his  intercourse  with  her  sister,  and 
was  at  first  extremely  guarded  in  her  answers ;  but  his  man- 
ner was  so  unconstrained,  his  account  of  himself  and  his 
ideas  so  amusing  and  simple,  that  at  length  she  also  became 
communicative,  and  unconsciously  displayed  an  extent  of 
intellect  for  which  Hamilton  had  not  been  prepared — her 
acquirements  were  considerable  for  a  girl  of  her  age,  and 
she  spoke  with  enthusiasm  of  the  continuance  of  her  studies 
when  she  returned  to  Munich.  Her  father  had  quite  an 
excellent  library  of  his  own,  which  he  had  promised  to  let 
her  use,  and  her  mother  intended  to  subscribe  to  a  circu- 
lating library,  on  condition  that  none  but  French  books 
should  be  sent  for  or  read.  On  Hamilton's  inquiring  fur- 
ther, she  said,  with  a  slight  blush,  that  she  was  extremely 
fond  of  novels  and  poetry. 

"  Poetry  !"  he  exclaimed,  thrown  off  his  guard  ;  "  poetry  ! 
I  should  have  imagined  that  more  suited  to  your  sister's 
taste  than  yours." 

No  sooner  had  the  word  "  sister"  passed  his  lips  than  he 


140  THE  INITIALS. 

saw  a  sudden  change  in  the  expression  of  his  companion's 
countenance ;  he  had,  in  fact,  awakened  a  train  of  un- 
pleasant reflections,  rendered  more  disagreeable  by  a  feeling 
of  self-reproach  for  previous  forgetfulness.  Hildegarde  re- 
tired from  him  as  far  as  the  limits  of  the  carriage  permitted, 
looking  out  of  the  window,  without  noticing  his  remark,  and 
rendered  all  his  attempts  to  renew  the  conversation  abortive 
by  entering  into  a  disquisition  with  her  brother  on  the  im- 
propriety of  bringing  snow-balls  into  the  house  in  winter ! 
With  a  smile,  which  Hildegarde  would  perhaps  have  denomi- 
nated a  sneer,  had  she  seen  it,  Hamilton  leaned  back  in  the 
carriage,  and  was  soon  occupied  in  mental  speculations  on 
the  change  which  one  word  had  been  able  to  produce,  al- 
though the  cause  was  by  no  means  difficult  to  surmise. 
They  did  not  speak  again  until  they  entered  the  inn  where 
they  were  to  dine.  Madame  Rosenberg  was  his  companion 
in  the  afternoon,  and  so  effectually  did  she  contrive  to  be- 
guile the  time  with  a  history  of  herself  and  her  family,  that 
he  was  actually  sorry  when,  at  a  late  hour  in  the  evening, 
their  journey  ended,  and  both  carriages  began  somewhat 
tumultuously  to  pour  forth  their  contents. 

The  apartments  were  on  the  third  story,  and  on  bounding 
up  the  stairs  to  them,  Hamilton  was  received  by  Mr.  Rosen- 
berg with  almost  as  much  cordiality  as  his  future  son-in-law, 
who  had  followed  more  slowly.  A  good  deal  of  calling  and 
running,  and  dragging  about  of  furniture  ensued,  but  at  the 
end  of  an  hour,  or  thereabouts,  they  were  all  comfortably 
seated  round  a  supper-table,  which,  although  of  the  plainest 
description,  and  lit  by  a  couple  of  tallow  candles  in  brass 
candlesticks,  more  than  satisfied  Hamilton  ;  and  nothing  could 
exceed  the  pleasure  with  which  he  looked  around  him.  The 
novelty  of  the  situation,  and  the  realization  of  his  wish  to  be 
domesticated  in  a  private  family,  aided,  no  doubt,  consider- 
ably to  produce  this  frame  of  mind,  for  he  was:  by  nature  and 
education,  fastidious ;  and  had  he  not  had  an  object  in  view, 
it  is  more  than  probable  that  the  extreme  homeliness  of  the 
house  arrangements  would  have  more  disgusted  than  amused 
him.  Madame  Rosenberg  stood  with  a  napkin  pinned  over 
the  front  of  her  dress  while  she  carved  a  large  loin  of  veal, 
and  distributed  to  each,  beginning  with  her  husband,  the 
portion  which  she  judged  sufficient  for  their  supper  ;  a  potato 
salad,  which  she  had  also  prepared  in  their  presence,  with  oil 


THE  RETURN  TO  MUNICH.  141 

and  vinegar,  was  added  ;  and  Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  carried 
around  the  plates,  to  Hamilton's  surprise  and,  indeed,  dis- 
comfort; it  was  in  vain  lie  jumped  up  and  offered  to  assist 
them.  Madame  Rosenberg  begged  him  to  sit  still,  that 
Hildegarde  would  bring  him  all  he  wanted,  and  Crescenz,  as 
in  duty  bound,  would  see  that  the  Major  had  every  thing  he 
required.  With  a  coyness  which  would  have  been  graceful 
had  it  not  been  slightly  tinctured  with  affectation,  Crescenz 
performed  the  required  services,  Major  Stultz  declaring  he 
had  never  in  his  life  been  so  waited  upon ;  that  she  was  a 
perfect  Hebe,  and  ending  by  catching  her  hand  and  kissing 
it  passionately.  Crescenz  looked  across  the  table,  and  on 
finding  Hamilton's  large  dark  eyes  fixed  upon  her,  drew 
back,  and,  behind  the  chair  of  her  lover,  impatiently  wiped 
the  kiss,  and  with  it  some  portion  of  gravy  and  potato, 
which  had  probably  adhered  to  his  moustache,  from  her  fair 
hand.  On  again  looking  towards  Hamilton,  half  expecting 
some  sign  of  approval,  she  found  that  he  had  turned  to  her 
father,  and  seemed  altogether  to  have  forgotten  her  pres- 
ence. With  some  indignation  she  took  her  place  at  the 
table,  and  commenced  her  supper,  internally  vowing  never  to 
bestow  either  a  word  or  look  more  on  him ;  and,  if  possible, 
to  convince  him,  without  delay,  of  her  extreme  dislike  to 
him.  She  listened  with  apparent  interest,  while  her  mother 
and  Major  Stultz  settled  the  day  but  one  after  for  their 
solemn  betrothal,  which  was  to  give  her  the  name  of  bride,  a 
title  only  used  in  Germany  during  the  term  of  engagement,  and 
never  after  the  ceremony  of  marriage  has  been  performed. 

Major  Stultz  rose  to  take  leave,  whispered  a  little  while, 
ostentatiously  with  Crescenz,  and  retired.  Hamilton  was 
accompanied  by  the  whole  family  when  he  took  possession 
of  the  two  rooms  appropriated  to  his  use  at  the  back  of  the 
house ;  they  looked  into  another  street,  and  were  accessible 
by  a  back  staircase,  which  Madame  Rosenberg  informed  him 
was  considered  a  great  convenience  for  single  gentlemen, 
especially  as  she  would  give  him  a  skeleton-key  which  would 
open  the  house-door  and  admit  him  at  all  hours  without  the 
servants  being  obliged  to  sit  up  for  him.  Crescenz  scarcely 
answered  when  he  wished  her  good-night,  and  he  divined 
pretty  accurately  what  was  passing  in  her  mind.  He  was 
heartily  glad  that  she  had  adopted  this  line  of  conduct ;  was 
fully  prepared  to  believe  in  her  indifference  ;  in  fact,  he  gave 


142  THE  INITIALS. 

her  more  credit  for  coquetry  than  she  deserved,  and  deter- 
mined in  no  way  to  interfere  with  her  good  resolutions  or 
Major  Stultz  in  future. 

The  next  morning  was  wholly  occupied  by  a  visit  to  his 
banker,  the  library,  securing  a  place  for  six  months  at  the 
theatre,  and  purchasing  some  toys  for  Fritz,  Gustle,  and 
Peppy.  He  reached  home  some  time  after  twelve  o'clock, 
and  found  that  they  had  waited  dinner  for  him — Madame 
Rosenberg  delicately  informing  him  of  the  fact  by  shouting 
from  the  nursery-door — 

"  You  may  bring  in  the  soup  now,  Wally,  for  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton is  come.;' 

As  far  as  Mr.  Hamilton  was  concerned,  the  soup  might 
have  remained  in  the  kitchen  all  day  ;  he  had  not  yet  learned 
to  eat  ordinary  German  soup,  which,  when  not  thickened 
into  a  "  family  broth,"  very  much  resembled  the  weak  beef- 
tea  decocted  by  careful  housekeepers  for  invalids ;  he  there- 
fore played  with  his  spoon  until  the  boiled  beef,  which  invari- 
ably succeeds,  had  made  its  appearance,  and  finished  his  repast 
with  a  piece  of  zwetschgeii  cake,  which  he  found  excellent, 
and  much  more  easy  to  eat  than  to  pronounce.  The  whole 
family  rose  from  table  at  the  same  moment,  and  Hamilton 
was  in  the  act  of  opening  the  door  leading  into  the  drawing- 
room,  when  he  heard  Madame  Rosenberg  call  out — 

"  Hildegarde,  pick  up  Mr.  Hamilton's  napkin  ;  don't  you 
see  it  lying  on  the  floor?" 

Hamilton  sprang  forward,  raised,  and  threw  it  with  a  jerk 
across  the  back  of  his  chair,  not  clearly  understanding  what 
possible  difference  it  could  make,  and  thinking  Madame 
Rosenberg  very  unnecessarily  particular.  His  surprise  was 
therefore  great  when  he  saw  Hildegarde  take  the  crumpled 
towel  and,  having  endeavoured  to  lay  it  in  the  original  folds, 
bind  it  with  a  piece  of  blue  ribbon  which  had  been  placed 
on  the  table  beside  him  for  the  purpose. 

"  Mr.  Smith  told  me  that  people  did  not  generally  use 
napkins  in  England,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  sagaciously 
nodding  her  head. 

"  Not  use  napkins  !  you  surely  must  have  misunderstood 
him ;  perhaps  he  said  people  did  not  use  the  same  napkin 
twice  !" 

"  Not  use  a  napkin  twice !"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg. 
"  If  that  were  the  case  I  should  have  a  pretty  washing  at 


THE  BETROTHAL.  143 

the  end  of  the  three  months !  Rosenberg  gets  but  two  a 
week,  and  has  moustaches.  I  expect  that  you  will  be  able 
to  manage,  like  the  girls,  with  one." 

"  I  shall  certainly  cultivate  a  moustache  forthwith,  if  it  were 
only  for  the  purpose  of  getting  the  two  napkins  a  week  !"  said 
Hamilton,  good-humouredly  laughing  as  he  left  the  room. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    BETROTHAL. 


The  afternoon  of  the  next  day  the  betrothal  took  place. 
Hamilton  had  expected  an  imposing  ceremony,  but  not  one 
of  the  many  persons  assembled  appeared  to  consider  it  as  any- 
thing but  an  occasion  for  drinking  wine  or  coffee  and  eating 
cake.  Crescenz  and  her  sister  must  be  excepted  ;  they  both 
looked  greatly  alarmed ;  and  when  the  certificates  of  birth, 
baptism,  vaccination,  and  confirmation  had  been  laid  on  the 
table,  and  the  marriage  contract  read  aloud  and  presented 
for  signature,  Crescenz  fairly  attempted  to  rush  out  of  the 
room.  She  was  brought  back  with  some  difficulty ;  and  it 
was  from  Hamilton's  hand  that  she  received  the  pen  with 
which  she  wrote  her  name.  A  present  of  a  very  handsome 
ring  from  Major  Stultz  seemed  in  some  degree  to  restore  her 
equanimity,  and  a  glass  of  champagne,  judiciously  adminis- 
tered by  her  father,  enabled  her  to  receive  the  congratula- 
tions and  enjoy  the  jokes  of  her  bridesmaids.  As  evening 
drew  on,  the  pianoforte  was  put  in  requisition,  and  dancing 
proposed.  Hamilton  immediately  engaged  Hildegarde ;  he 
was  in  England  considered  to  dance  well,  and  was,  therefore, 
not  a  little  surprised  and  mortified  when,  after  a  few  turns, 
she  sat  down  quietly,  saying  he  was  a  most  particularly 
disagreeable  dancer. 

"  You  are  the  first  person  who  has  told  me  so,"  he  ob- 
served, somewhat  piqued ;  for  Englishmen  are  vulnerable  on 
this  point. 

"  Others  have  thought  so,  perhaps,"  said  Hildegarde,  care- 
lessly, and  following  with  her  eyes  Crescenz  and  Major 
Stultz ;  the  latter,  forgetful  of  the  hardship  of  his  Russian 


144  THE  INITIALS. 

campaign,  and  unmindful  of  the  stoutness  of  his  figure,  was 
whirling  round  the  room  with  a  lightness  which  would  have 
done  credit  to  a  man  of  one-and-twenty. 

"  How  very  well  Major  Stultz  dances!"  said  Hamilton, 
when  Crescenz  and  her  partner  soon  after  stopped  near 
them. 

"  And  you — why  do  you  not  dance  ?"  asked  Crescenz. 

•'  Your  sister  says  I  dance  badly." 

11 1  said  you  were  a  disagreeable  dancer,"  said  Hildegarde  ; 
"  other  people  may  think  differently ;  but  I  particularly  dis- 
like being  held  so  close,  and  having " 

Hamilton's  face  became  crimson,  and  she  left  her  sen- 
tence unfinished. 

';  Perhaps  people  dance  differently  in  England,"  suggested 
Crescenz. 

"  Most  probably  they  do  not  waltz  at  all  there,*'  said  Major 
Stultz. 

Hamilton  explained  with  extraordinary  warmth. 

"  Well,  at  all  events — it  is — and  will  ever  remain,  a  Ger- 
man national  dance ;  and,  so  I  suppose,  without  giving  of- 
fence. I  may  say  that  we  Germans  dance  it  better  than  you 
English.  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  dance  country-dances 
and  Scotch  reels  perfectly,  but " 

"  I  have  never  danced  either  the  one  or  the  other,"  said 
Hamilton,  with  a  look  of  sovereign  contempt. 

"Well,  Francaise's  quadrilles,  or  whatever  you  call  those 
complicated  dances  now  coming  into  fashion  here." 

Hamilton  did  not  answer ;  he  had  turned  to  Crescenz,  and 
was  now  insisting  on  her  waltzing  with  him,  that  she  might 
tell  him  the  fault  in  his  dancing.  She  murmured  the  words, 
u  Extra  tour,"  which  seemed  to  satisfy  Major  Stultz  and 
then  complied  with  his  request.  It  was  singular  that  Cre- 
scenz did  not  complain  of  being  held  too  closety ;  she  was 
not  disposed  to  find  any  fault  whatever  with  his  perform- 
ance ;  and  it  was  with  some  difficulty  that  he  induced  her 
to  say  that  there  was  something  a  little  foreign  in  his  man- 
ner, and  that  she  believed  he  did  not  dance  quite  so  smoothly 
as  a  German. 

"  Your  sister's  personal  dislike  seems  to  influence  her 
judgment  on  all  occasions,"  said  Hamilton,  glancing  towards 
Hildegarde,  who,  still  seated  in  the  same  place,  was  watching 
them  with  evident  dissatisfaction. 


THE  BETROTHAL.  145 

"  Hildegarde,  come  and  help  me  to  put  candles  in  the 
candlesticks,"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg ;  "  we  cannot  let  our 
friends  grope  about  in  the  dark  any  longer." 

Hildegarde  rose ;  as  she  passed  Hamilton,  she  said,  in  a 
low  voice — 

"  For  personal  dislike,  you  may  say  detestation,  when  you 
refer  to  yourself  in  future." 

"  Most  willingly,  most  gladly,"  cried  Hamilton,  laughing. 
"  I  wish  you  to  hate  me  with  all  your  heart." 

"  Then  your  wish  is  gratified ;  I  feel  the  greatest  con- 
tempt  " 

"  Halt !"  cried  Hamilton,  still  laughing,  for  her  anger 
amused  him.  "I  did  not  give  you  leave  to  feel  contempt; 
I  only  said  you  might  hate  as " 

"  Hildegarde  !  Hildegarde  !"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg, 
impatiently — "  Why,  what  on  earth  is  the  girl  about  ?" 

"  Quarrelling  as  usual,"  muttered  Major  Stultz,  shrugging 
his  shoulders. 

"  Oh,  she  is  not  quarrelsome  !"  exclaimed  Crescenz  ;  "  you 
don't  understand  her ;  she  is  right — quite  right." 

"  Right  to  hate  me  without  a  cause !"  cried  Hamilton, 
pretending  great  astonishment. 

"  I  did  not  exactly  mean — that  is — I  think — I  believe — I 
am  sure  Hildegarde  does  not  hate  you  or  anybody,"  said 
Crescenz,  confusedly,  and  retiring  hastily  to  that  part  of  the 
room  which  seemed  by  common  consent  appropriated  to  the 
unmarried  female  part  of  the  company.  At  this  moment 
the  door  opened,  and  Madame  Rosenberg,  followed  by  Hilde- 
garde and  the  cook,  entered  the  room,  carrying  lighted  can- 
dles. A  loud  ringing  of  the  house-bell  was  heard,  and  the 
cook,  having  deposited  her  candles,  rushed  out  of  the  room 
to  open  the  door. 

"  I  dare  say  it's  the  Bergers,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  as 
she  walked  towards  the  pianoforte  with  her  candles.  "  Bet- 
ter late  than  never.  I'm  glad  she's  come,  for  she  plays 
waltzes  charmingly ;  and  as  such  days  as  this  do  not  often 
occur  in  a  family,  we  may  as  well  keep  it  up." 

Hamilton  looked  towards  the  door,  and  saw  an  elaborately 
dressed  and  extremely  pretty  person,  with  very  long  and 
profuse  blonde  ringlets,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  an  elderly  man 
with  a  protruding  chin.  His  recollection  of  having  heard 
something  about  her  companion  was  brought  more  distinctly 
q        k  13 


146  THE  INITIALS. 

to  his  mind,  when  he  saw  Crescenz  start  forward  and  em- 
brace her,  while  she  eagerly  exclaimed, — 

"  Oh,  Lina !  I  have  so  longed  to  see  you !  so  wished  for 
your  advice !" 

After  she  had  spoken  with  great  animation  to  the  Rosen- 
bergs and  other  acquaintances,  she  turned  to  Crescenz,  who, 
continuing  to  hold  her  hand,  reproached  her  for  having 
neglected  her. 

"  My  dear  creature !  I  have  been  in  Starnberg,  or  you 
should  have  seen  me  long  ago.  The  Doctor  came  for  me 
this  afternoon,  and  I  have  not  been  more  than  an  hour  in 
town.  On  such  an  occasion  I  was  obliged  to  make  myself 
smart,  and  you  have  no  idea  how  I  hurried  !  Isn't  this 
dress  a  love  ?  the  Doctor's  choice — he  bought  it  at  Schultz, 
and  surprised  me  with  it  on  my  birthday !  Conceive  my 
being  nineteen  years  old  !"  she  continued  in  a  whisper,  lead- 
ing Crescenz  apart ;  "I  am  really  glad  that  I  am  married ; 
I  should  have  been  obliged  to  wait  an  eternity  for  Theodor ; 
he  is  now  studying  with  the  Doctor,  visits  the  hospitals  with 
him,  and  dines  with  us  every  Sunday  !     Heigho  ! " 

"  Is  not  the  Doctor  jealous?" 

"Jealous!  oh,  dear,  no — why  should  he  be  jealous?  If 
Theodor  had  been  rich,  I  should  have  preferred  him,  of 
course !  but  a  poor  student ! — the  thing  was  absurd  !  And 
yet  I  did  love  him — with  all  my  heart,  too  !" 

"  I  can  easily  imagine  it,"  said  Crescenz,  pensively  ;  "  and 
in  Seon,  of  all  places  in  the  world  !"  and  she  sighed  very 
expressively. 

"  Why  surely,  dear,  you  did  not  find  anyone  at  Seon  with 
whom  you  could  fall  in  love !  I  beg  Major  Stultz's  pardon, 
but — a — the  company  at  Seon  is  a -" 

'Oh,  there  were  some  very  nice  people  there  this  year; 
Count  Zedwitz  and  his  family — his  son,  I  am  almost  sure, 
proposed  to  Hildegarde,  though  she  won't  acknowledge  it." 

"  Count  Zedwitz !  why,  surely,  Hildegarde  would  not  be 
such  a  fool  as  to  refuse  such  a " 

"  Hush,  dearest — it's  the  greatest  possible  secret ;  and 
Hildegarde  would  never  forgive  me  if  she  knew " 

"  I  don't  believe  a  word  of  it,"  said  the  Doctor's  wife,  ar- 
ranging a  stray  ringlet ;  "  I  don't  believe  a  word  of  it. 
Hildegarde  would  have  talked  if  there  had  been  even  a 
shadow  of  probability  of  such  a  thing.     As  to  her  having 


THE  BETROTHAL.  147 

refused  him,  that  is  out  of  the  nature  of  things  !  I  suppose, 
dear,"  she  added,  shaking  back  her  curls,  "  I  suppose  he 
turned  to  you  when  he  was  tired  of  Hildegarde  ?  Did  she 
frighten  him  with  a  fit  of  fury,  as  she  did  me  the  day  I  read 
the  letter  from  her  father,  which  she  had  mislaid  in  the 
school-room  ?  Do  you  remember  how  she  stormed  and  called 
me  dishonourable,  and  said  I  was  capable  of  any  horrible 
act  ?  I  never  forgave  that  Mademoiselle  Hortense  for  not 
taking  my  part ;  but  all  the  governesses  were  so  proud  of 
Hildegarde's  beauty,  after  her  picture  was  painted,  that  she 
was  allowed  to  do  as  she  pleased." 

"  Don't  talk  of  her,"  said  Crescenz,  in  a  low  voice ;  "  I 
know  you  never  liked  her." 

"  They  called  us  the  rival  beauties  at  school,  you  know, 
which  was  quite  enough  to  make  us  hate  each  other  all  our 
lives ;  but  now  that  I  am  married,  all  rivalry  has  ceased.  I 
have  got  a  position  in  society,  especially  since  the  Doctor  has 
been  called  in  to  attend  the  royal  family,  and " 

"  You  don't  say  so,"  exclaimed  Crescenz,  interrupting  her. 

"  Yes,  my  dear,  he  is  not  exactly  appointed,  but  when  the 
other  physicians  were  out  of  town,  he  was  sent  for  to  attend 
one  of  the  ladies  of  the  court,  who  had  been  obliged  to 
remain  behind  from  illness,  and  she  promised  to  use  all  her 
influence  for  him  ;  indeed,  his  practice  is  so  extensive  that  he 
does  not  require  anything  of  the  kind — but  then  for  appear- 
ance' sake — and  it  sounds  well,  you  know — it  sounds  well !" 
and  she  played  with  her  pocket-handkerchief,  which  was 
trimmed  with  very  broad  cotton  lace.  "  But  I  forgot,  you 
were  going  to  tell  me  that  you  had  fallen  in  love  with  some- 
body at  Seon ;  if  it  were  not  this  Count  Zedwitz,  who  was 
it?" 

"  Nobody,"  said  Crescenz,  wiping  her  eyes  with  her  little 
cotton  handkerchief,  ornamented  with  a  few  coarse  indigo- 
dyed  threads  for  a  border ;  "  Nobody  !" 

"  I  assure  you,  Cressy,  as  a  married  woman,  I  can  give  you 
much  better  advice  now  than  in  former  days,  when  I  was 
silly  as  yourself.     You  had  better  confide  in  me." 

"  I  have  nothing  to  confide,"  replied  Crescenz,  diligently 
biting  the  before  mentioned  blue  thread  border  of  her  hand- 
kerchief. 

11  Well,  if  you  don't  choose  to  be  confiding,  perhaps  you 
will  be  communicative,  and  tell  me  who  is  that  very  tall,  very 


148  THE  INITIALS, 

young,  and  singularly  handsome  man  talking  to  your  father 
near  the  window  ?" 

"  That's  he,"  said  Crescenz,  blushing. 

"Who?" 

"  The  Englishman." 

"  What  Englishman  ?" 

"  The  Englishman  that  we  met  at  Seon." 

"  So !"  whistled,  rather  than  exclaimed,  the  Doctor's 
wife. 

"  So  ! — hem  ! — a — some  excuse  for  a  little  sentiment,  I 
must  allow,  Cressy.  How  does  he  happen  to  be  here  this 
evening?" 

"  He  is  living  with  us ;  he  boards  with  mamma  this  win- 
ter." 

"  So  !     Can  he  speak  German  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  very  well." 

"  Introduce  him  ;  I  should  like  to  know  him." 

"  I  cannot ." 

"  You  cannot !  Why  I  could  have  introduced  Theodor 
to  all  the  world,  and  have  ordered  him  about  everywhere. 
Beckon,  or  call  him  over,  like  a  dear." 

"  Not  for  worlds  !" 

"  I  do  believe  you  are  afraid  of  him  !" 

"  Afraid  of  him  !  What  an  idea  !"  said  Crescenz,  laugh- 
ing faintly. 

"  Yes,  afraid  of  him,"  persisted  her  friend  ;  ':  and  yet  he 
is  not  at  all  a  person  to  inspire  terror." 

"  Oh,  no,  not  at  all,"  said  Crescenz  ;  "  I  don't  think  I  am  at 
all  afraid  of  him.     Why  should  I?" 

"  Why,  indeed !  See,  Crescenz,  he  is  looking  this  way 
now ;  just  turn  towards  him  and  make  some  sign,  or  else  I 
must  apply  to  Hildegarde." 

"  Oh,  go  to  Hildegarde,  if  you  like,"  said  Crescenz,  half 
laughing ;  "  but  most  probably  they  have  just  been  quar- 
relling, and,  in  that  case,  she  will  send  you  to  papa  or 
mamma." 

"  For  that  matter,  I  might  as  well  go  to  your  father  at 
once,  as  he  is  standing  beside  him  ;  for  a  married  woman  it 
would  be  of  no  consequence,  you  know ;  but,  still,  I  should 
prefer  the  introduction  to  appear  accidental.  Men  are  gener- 
ally vain — especially  Englishmen,  they  say." 

"  Oh,  he  is  not  at  all  vain,  though  Hildegarde  insists  that 


THE  BETROTHAL.  149 

he  is ;  and  says,  too,  that  he  ridicules  everybody.  She  took 
an  inveterate  dislike  to  him  at  first  sight." 

"  Well,  that  does  surprise  me,  for  his  appearance  is  cer- 
tainly prepossessing ;  but  I  think  also  he  has  a  tolerably  good 
opinion  of  himself:  in  so  far  I  must  agree  with  her;  but 
why  should  he  not  ?  He  is  certainly  good-looking,  probably 
clever,  and  no  doubt  rich  !" 

"  Oh,  he  is  very  clever,"  said  Crescenz  ;  "  even  Hildegarde 
allows  that." 

"  Well,  my  dear,  to  return ;  will  you  introduce  him  or 
not?" 

"  Pray,  don't  ask  me." 

The  Doctor's  wife  shrugged  her  shoulders,  shook  back  her 
blonde  ringlets,  and  walked,  with  an  evident  attempt  at  un- 
concern, across  the  room. 

"  Hildegarde,"  she  said,  tapping  the  shoulder  which  had 
been  purposely  turned  towards  her,  "  Hildegarde,  will  you 
introduce  me  to  your  Englishman  ?  Crescenz  says  he  is  very 
clever ;  and  you  know  I  like  clever  people,  and  foreigners. 
But  you  must  maneuvre  a  little,  and  not  let  him  know  that  I 
particularly  requested  to  make  his  acquaintance." 

"  I  never  maneuvre,"  replied  Hildegarde,  bluntly ;  "  you 
might  have  known  that  by  this  time." 

"  I  did  not  just  mean  to  say  maneuvre  ;  I  only  wished  you 
to  understand  that  you  were  to  manage  it  so  that  he  should 
not  think  I  cared  about  the  matter ;  in  short,  it  ought  to  be 
a  sort  of  chance  introduction." 

"  Will  you  by  chance  walk  across  the  room  with  me  ?" 

"  Impossible !" 

"  Shall  I  call  him  over  here  by  chance  ?" 

"  Call — no,  not  call ;  but  look  as  if  you  expected  him  to 
come.     He  will  be  sure  to  understand." 

"  He  will  not ;  for  I  do  not  expect  him  in  the  least.  Cre- 
scenz could  have  told  you  that  we  are  not  on  particularly  good 
terms.     You  had  better  ask  mamma." 

"  Mem  Gott  I  What  a  fuss  the  people  make  about  this 
Englishman.  I  think  you  are  all  afraid  of  him.  Crescenz 
certainly  is." 

"  I  dislike  him ;  but  I  am  not  afraid  of  him,  as  you  shall 
see.  Mr.  Hamilton,"  she  called  out  distinctly,  and  Hamilton, 
though  surprised,  immediately  approached  her.  Madame 
Berger  shook  her  hand  and  the  pocket  handkerchief  most 

13* 


150  THE  INITIALS. 

playfully,  and  then  took  refuge  on  the  sofa  at  some  distance. 
Hildegarde  followed,  quietly  explaining  that  Madame  Berger 
wished  to  make  his  acquaintance,  because  he  was  a  foreigner, 
and  supposed  to  be  clever.  Hamilton  smiled  as  he  seated 
himself  beside  his  new  acquaintance,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
they  were  evidently  amusing  each  other  so  much  that  Cre- 
scenz  observed  it,  and  said,  in  a  low  voice,  to  her  sister,  "  You 
were  quite  right,  Hildegarde  ;  Lina  is  a  desperate  flirt.  Do 
look  how  she  is  laughing,  and  allowing  Mr.  Hamilton  to 
admire  her  dress." 

"  He  is  making  a  fool  of  her.  Now,  Crescenz,  if  you  are 
not  blind,  you  can  see  that  expression  of  his  face  I  have  so 
often  described  to  you." 

"  I  only  see  he  is  laughing,  and  pulling  the  lace  of  her 
handkerchief,  which  she  has  just  shown  him.  I  dare  say  he 
is  admiring  it,  for  it  is  real  cambric,  and  very  fine." 

"  He  is  not  admiring  it ;  his  own  is  ten  times  finer." 

"  Indeed  !  I  have  never  remarked  that;  how  very  odd 
that  you  should !" 

"  Not  at  all  odd,"  said  Hildegarde  quickly ;  "  everyone 
has  some  sort  of  fancy.  You  like  bracelets  and  rings,  and 
I  like  fine  pocket  handkerchiefs." 

"  Well,  that  is  the  oddest  fancy,"  said  Crescenz,  "  the  very 
last  thing  I  should  have  thought  of.  I  don't  care  at  all  for 
pocket  handkerchiefs." 

"  Nor  I  for  rings  or  bracelets,"  replied  Hildegarde. 

"  Come  here,  girls,"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg  ;  "  what  are 
you  doing  with  your  two  heads  together  there  ?  Come  and 
help  me  to  make  tea.  Hildegarde,  there  is  boiling  water  in 
the  kitchen.  Crescenz,  you  can  cut  bread  and  butter,  or 
arrange  the  cakes." 

Tea  was  then  a  beverage  only  coming  into  fashion  in  Ger- 
many, and,  in  that  class  of  society  where  it  was  still  seldom 
made,  the  infusion  caused  considerable  commotion.  Hilde- 
garde and  her  stepmother  were  unsuccessful  in  their  attempt; 
the  tea  tasted  strongly  of  smoke  and  boiled  milk.  Every- 
body sipped  it,  and  wondered  what  was  the  matter,  while 
Madame  Rosenberg  assured  her  guests  that  she  had  twice 
made  "  a  tea,"  and  that  it  had  been  excellent;  the  cook, 
Walburg,  or,  as  she  was  called  familiarly,  Wally,  must  have 
spoiled  it  by  hurrying  the  boiling  of  the  water.  Mr.  Ham- 
ilton, as  an  Englishman,  would,  of  course,  know  how  to  make 


THE  BETROTHAL.  151 

tea  ;  he  really  must  be  so  good  as  to  accompany  her  to  the 
kitchen,  and  they  would  make  it  over  again. 

Hamilton  agreed  to  the  proposition  with  some  reluctance, 
for  he  had  found  his  companion  amusing  ;  but,  as  she  pro- 
posed accompanying  him,  he  was  soon  disposed  to  think  tea- 
making  in  a  kitchen  as  amusing  as  it  was  new  to  him. 
Madame  Rosenberg,  Hildegarde,  Crescenz,  and  Major  Stultz 
followed,  forming  a  sort  of  procession  in  the  corridor,  and 
greatly  crowding  the  small  but  remarkably  neat  kitchen 
where  they  assembled.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  stone 
floor,  it  was  as  comfortable  a  room  as  any  in  the  house ;  the 
innumerable  brightly  shining  brass  and  copper  pans  and 
pots,  pudding  and  pie  models,  forming  the  ornaments. 
Round  the  hearth,  or  rather  what  is  in  England  called  a 
hot-hearth — for  the  fire  was  invisible — they  all  stood  to  watch 
the  boiling  of  a  pan  full  of  fresh  water,  which  had  been 
placed  on  one  of  the  apertures  made  for  that  purpose.  They 
looked  at  the  water,  and  then  at  each  other,  and  then  again 
at  the  water  ;  and  then  Wally  shoved  more  wood  underneath. 
Still  the  water  boiled  not ;  and  Madame  Rosenberg  and 
Major  Stultz  returned  to  the  drawing-room,  Madame  Berger 
having  undertaken,  with  Hamilton's  assistance,  to  make  the 
most  excellent  tea  possible. 

"  It  is  an  odd  thing,"  she  observed,  seating  herself  on  the 
polished  copper  edge  of  the  hearth,  and  carefully  arranging 
the  folds  of  her  dress,  "  it  is  an  odd  thing,  but  nevertheless 
a  fact,  that  when  one  watches,  and  wishes  water  to  boil,  it 
won't  boil,  and  as  soon  as  one  turns  away  it  begins  to  bubble 
and  sputter  at  once.  Now,  Mr.  Hamilton,  can  you  explain 
why  this  is  the  case?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing,  "  excepting  that, 
perhaps,  as  the  watching  of  a  saucepan  full  of  water  is  by 
no  means  an  amusing  occupation,  one  easily  gets  tired,  and 
finds  that  the  time  passes  unusually  slowly." 

"  All  I  can  say  is — that  as  long  as  I  look  at  that  water,  it 
will  not  boil " 

"  Then  pray  look  at  me,"  said  Hamilton,  who  had  seated 
himself  upon  the  dresser,  one  foot  on  the  ground,  the  other 
enacting  the  part  of  a  pendulum,  while  in  his  hands  he  held 
a  plate  of  little  macaroni  cakes,  which  Crescenz  had  just 
arranged ;  "  pray  look  at  me.  German  cakes  are  decidedly 
better  than  English — these  are  really  delicious." 


152  THE  INITIALS. 

"Oh,  I  am  so  fond  of  those  cakes,"  she  cried,  springing 
towards  him,  "  so  excessively  fond  of  them.  Surely,"  she 
added,  endeavouring  to  reach  the  plate,  which  he  laughingly 
held  just  beyond  her  reach,  "  surely  you  do  not  mean  to 
devour  them  alone." 

"  You  shall  join  me,"  said  Hamilton,  "  on  condition  that 
every  cake  with  a  visible  piece  of  citron  or  a  whole  almond 
on  it  belongs  to  me." 

"  Agreed." 

Her  share  proved  small,  and  a  playful  scuffle  ensued. 

Crescenz  turned  towards  the  window,  Hildegarde  looked 
on  contemptuously.  At  this  moment,  Walburg  exclaimed, 
"  The  water  boils  !"  and  they  all  turned  towards  the  hearth. 
"  How  much  tea  shall  I  put  into  the  teapot?"  asked  Madame 
Berger,  appealing  to  Hamilton. 

"  The  more  you  put  in  the  better  it  will  be,"  answered 
Hamilton,  without  moving. 

"  Shall  I  put  in  all  that  is  in  this  paper?" 

Hamilton  nodded,  and  the  tea  was  made. 

"  Ought  it  not  to  boil  a  little  now?" 

"  By  no  means." 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Walburg, "  a  little  piece  of  vanilla  would 
improve  the  taste." 

"  On  no  account,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  The  best  thing  to  give  it  a  flavour  is  rum,"  observed 
Madame  Berger. 

"  I  forbid  the  rum,  though  I  must  say  the  idea  is  not  bad," 
said  Hamilton  laughing. 

Hildegarde  put  the  teapot  on  a  little  tray,  and  left  the 
kitchen  just  as  her  step-mother  entered  it. 

"  Well,  the  tea  ought  to  be  good  !  It  has  required  long 
enough  to  make  it,  I  am  sure  !"  she  observed,  while  setting 
down  a  lamp,  which  she  had  brought  with  her.  "  Crescenz, 
your  father,  it  seems,  has  invited  a  whole  lot  of  people  with- 
out telling  me,  and  he  wishes  to  play  a  rubber  of  whist  in  the 
bedroom.  I  have  no  more  handsome  candlesticks,  so  you 
must  light  the  lamp ;  the  wick  is  in  it,  I  know,  for  I  cleaned 
it  myself  before  I  went  to  Seon,  so  you  have  only  to  put  in 
the  oil  and  light  it."  She  took  Madame  Berger's  arm,  say- 
ing, "  This  is  poor  amusement  for  you,  standing  in  the 
kitchen  all  the  evening,"  and  walked  away  without  perceiving 
Hamilton,  who  was  examining  the  construction  of  the  hearth 


THE  BETROTHAL.  153 

and  chimney  with  an  interest  which  greatly  astonished  the 
cook. 

"  Oh,  Wally — what  shall  I  do?"  cried  Crescenz,  "  I  never 
touched  a  lamp  in  my  life,  and  I  am  sure  I  cannot  light  it." 

"  It's  quite  easy,  Miss  Crescenz ;  I'll  pour  the  oil,  and  you 
light  those  pieces  of  wood  and  hold  them  to  the  wick." 

Crescenz  did  as  she  was  desired. 

"  Stop  till  the  oil  is  in,  miss,  if  you  please,"  said  Wally. 

The  oil  was  put  in,  the  wick  lighted,  the  cylinder  fixed, 
and  Crescenz  raised  the  globe  towards  its  place,  but  either  it 
was  too  heavy  for  her  hand,  or  she  had  not  mentally  meas- 
ured the  height,  for  it  struck  with  considerable  force  against 
the  upper  part  of  the  lamp,  and  broke  to  pieces  with  a  loud 
crash. 

"  Oh,  heavens,  what  shall  I  do  !"  she  cried  in  her  agita- 
tion, clasping  the  pieces  of  glass  which  had  remained  in  her 
hand.  "  What  shall  I  do  !  Mamma  will  be  so  angry  !  I 
dare  not  tell  her — for  my  life  I  dare  not.  What  on  earth 
shall  I  do  !" 

"  Send  out  and  buy  another  as  fast  as  you  can,"  said 
Hamilton.     "  Is  there  no  glass  or  lamp  shop  near  this?" 

"  I  don't  know,'   said  Crescenz,  blushing  deeply. 

"Yes,  there  is,"  said  Walburg,  "in  the  next  street,  just 

round  the  corner,  you  know,  Miss  Crescenz — but  a "  and 

she  stopped  and  looked  confused. 

"  I  must  tell  mamma,  or  get  Hildegarde  to  tell  her.  Oh, 
what  a  misfortune  !  what  a  dreadful  misfortune  !" 

"  Go  out  and  buy  a  globe,  and  don't  waste  time  looking 
at  the  fragments,"  said  Hamilton,  impatiently  to  Walburg. 
"  There  is  no  necessity  for  saying  anything  about  the 
matter." 

"  But,"  said  Walburg,  hesitatingly,  and  looking  first  at 
Crescenz,  and  then  at  Hamilton,  "  but  I  have  no  money." 

"  Stupid  enough  my  not  thinking  of  that,"  said  Hamilton, 
taking  out  his  purse. 

"  That  is  at  least  a  florin  too  much,"  cried  Walburg,  en- 
chanted at  his  generosity. 

"  Never  mind,  run,  run  ;  keep  what  remains  for  yourself, 
but  make  haste." 

"  Oh,  indeed  I  cannot  allow  this,"  said  Crescenz  faintly ; 

"  it  would  be  very  wrong — and "  but  the  door  had  already 

closed  on  the  messenger. 


154  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Suppose,  now — mamma  should  come,"  said  Crescenz, 
uneasily. 

"  Not  at  all  likely,  as  everyone  is  drinking  tea." 

The  drawing-room  door  opened,  and  the  gay  voices  of  the 
assembled  company  resounded  in  the  passage. 

"  I  knew  it,  I  knew  it;  she  is  coming,"  cried  Crescenz  ; — 
but  it  was  only  Hildegarde,  who  brought  the  empty  teapot 
to  refill  it. 

She  looked  very  grave  when  she  heard  what  had  occurred, 
and  proposed  Hamilton's  accompanying  her  to  the  drawing- 
room,  as  he  might  be  missed  and  Major  Stultz  displeased; 
he  felt  that  she  was  right,  and  followed  silently.  His  tea 
was  unanimously  praised,  but  Madame  Rosenberg  exhibited 
some  natural  consternation  on  hearing  that  the  whole  con- 
tents of  her  paper  cornet,  with  which  she  had  expected  to 
regale  her  friends  at  least  half-a-dozen  times,  had  been  in- 
considerately emptied  at  once  into  the  teapot ! 

"  It  was  no  wonder  the  tea  was  good !  English  tea,  in- 
deed !  Anyone  could  make  tea  after  that  fashion  !  But 
then,  to  be  sure,  English  people  never  thought  about  what 
anything  cost.  For  her  part  she  found  the  tea  bitter,  and 
recommended  a  spoonful  or  two  of  rum."  On  her  producing 
a  little  green  bottle,  the  company  assembled  around  her  with 
their  tea-cups,  and  she  administered  to  each  one,  two,  or 
three  spoonfuls,  as  they  desired  it. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Rosenberg  sat  in  the  adjoining  dark 
bedroom  at  the  card-table — sometimes  shuffling,  sometimes 
drumming  on  the  cards,  and  whistling  indistinctly.  Hilde- 
garde had  observed  an  expression  of  impatience  on  his 
face,  and,  to  prevent  inquiries  about  the  lamp,  she  quietly 
brought  candles  from  the  drawing-room  and  placed  them 
beside  him. 

"  Thank  you,  Hildegarde,"  said  her  father,  more  loudly 
than  he  generally  spoke;  "thank  you,  my  dear;  you  never 
forget  my  existence,  and  even  obey  my  thoughts  some- 
times." 

"Why,  where's  the  lamp?"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg; 
"  where's  the  lamp  ?  What  on  earth  can  Crescenz  have  done 
with  the  lamp?" 

"  Broken  it,  most  probably,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberg,  dryly. 
"  Hildegarde,  place  a  chair  for  Major  Stultz.  She's  a  good 
girl,  after  all,  Major!  a  very  good  girl,  I  can  tell  you." 


THE  BETROTHAL.  155 

"  No  doubt,  no  doubt,"  replied  the  Major,  bowing  over  the 
proffered  chair. 

"  Go  and  see  why  your  sister  does  not  bring  the  lamp," 
cried  Madame  Rosenberg  impatiently. 

As  Hildegarde  slowly  and  with  evident  reluctance  walked 
to  the  door,  she  unconsciously  looked  towards  Hamilton ;  he 
was  listening  very  attentively  to  the  rhapsody  of  sense  and 
nonsense  poured  forth  by  the  Doctor's  wife,  who  occasionally 
stopped  to  shake  back,  with  a  mixture  of  childishness  and 
coquetry,  the  long  fair  locks  which  at  times  half  concealed 
her  face.  Hamilton,  however,  saw  the  look,  understood  it, 
and  gazed  so  fixedly  at  the  door,  even  after  she  had  closed 
it,  that  his  companion  observed  it,  and  said  abruptly  :  "  Why 
did  you  look  so  oddly  at  Hildegarde  ;  and  why  do  you  stare 
at  the  door  after  she  has  left  the  room  ?" 

"  If  you  prefer  my  staring  at  you,  I  am  quite  willing  to 
do  so." 

"  You  know  very  well  I  did  not  mean  any  such  thing," 
she  cried  with  affected  pettishness ;  "  can  you  not  be  serious 
for  a  moment,  and  answer  a  plain  question  ?" 

"  I  dislike  answering  questions,"  said  Hamilton  absently, 
and  once  more  looking  towards  the  door. 

"  Now,  there  you  are  again  with  your  eyes  fixed  on  that 
tiresome " 

He  turned  around,  took  a  well-stuffed  sofa-cushion,  and, 
placing  it  before  him,  leaned  his  elbows  upon  it,  while  he 
quietly  but  steadily  fixed  his  eyes  on  her  face,  and  said : 

"  Now,  madame,  if  it  must  be  so,  I  am  ready  to  be  ques- 
tioned." 

"  You  really  are  the  most  disagreeable  person  I  ever 
met." 

"  That  is  an  observation,  and  not  a  question." 

"You  are  the  vainest " 

Hamilton  looked  down,  and  seemed  determined  not  to  in- 
terrupt her  again. 

"  Are  you  offended  at  my  candour,"  she  added,  abruptly. 

"  Not  in  the  least." 

"  Put  away  that  cushion,  and  don't  look  as  if  you  were 
getting  tired." 

"  But  I  thought  you  were  going  to  question  me?" 

"  No,  I  am  afraid." 

"  Well,  then  I  must  question  you,"  said  Hamilton,  laugh- 


156  THE  INITIALS. 

ing.  "  Why  may  I  not  look  at  Mademoiselle  Rosenberg,  and 
why  may  I  not  look  at  the  door,  if  it  amuse  me  ?" 

'•  You  may  not  look  at  the  door,  because  in  so  doing 
you  turn  your  back  to  me,  which  is  not  civil,"  she  replied 
readily. 

"  Very  well  answered ;  but  now  tell  me  why  I  may  not 
look  at  Mademoiselle  Rosenberg?" 

"  Oh,  you  may  look  at  her,  certainly  ;  but — but — but — the 
expression  of  your  face  was  not  as  if  you  disliked  her." 

"  And  why  should  I  dislike  her?" 

"  I  don't  know,  indeed — only  Crescenz  told  me  that  you 
often  quarrelled  with  her ;  and  as  Hildegarde  knows  no 
medium,  she  most  probably  hates  you  with  all  her  soul. 
You  have  no  idea  of  the  intensity  of  her  likings  and  dis- 
likings !" 

« Indeed  ?" 

"  At  school  she  took  a  fancy  to  one  of  the  governesses, 
the  most  severe,  disagreeable  person  imaginable ;  can  you 
believe  it?  This  Mademoiselle  Hortense  was  able  to  do 
whatever  she  pleased  with  her ;  her  slightest  word  was  a 
command  to  Hildegarde.  I  have  seen  her,  when  in  the 
greatest  passion,  grow  pale  and  become  perfectly  quiet  when 
Mademoiselle  Hortense  suddenly  came  into  the  room.  It 
was,  however,  not  from  fear,  for  Hildegarde  has  no  idea  ot 
fearing  anybody  ;  she  is  terribly  courageous  !"' 

"  Altogether  rather  an  interesting  character,"  observed 
Hamilton. 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  I  cannot  agree  with  you.  At  school 
we  all  liked  Crescenz  much  better." 

"  Very  possibly — I  can  imagine  your  liking  the  one  and 
admiring  the  other." 

"  As  to  the  admiration,"  said  Madame  Berger,  looking 
down — "  as  to  the  admiration  of  the  girls  at  school,  that  was 
very  much  divided  :  Hildegarde  headed  one  party  and  I  the 
other." 

"  You  were  rivals,  then  ?" 

"  We  were,  in  everything — even  in  the  affection  of  her 
sister.  It  was  through  Crescenz  alone  that  I  was  able  to 
tease  her  when  I  chose  to  do  so." 

"  But  you  did  not  often  choose  it,  I  am  sure." 

"  Oh,  I  assure  you,  with  all  her  love  for  Crescenz,  she 
often  tyrannised  over  the  poor  girl,  and  scarcely  allowed  her 


THE  BETROTHAL.  157 

to  have  an  opinion  of  her  own  on  any  subject.  Crescenz  was 
a  little  afraid  of  her,  too,  at  times.  Cressy  is  the  dearest 
creature  in  the  world,  but  not  at  all  brilliant ;  we  all  loved 
her,  but  we  sometimes  laughed  at  her,  too ;  and  you  can 
form  no  conception  of  the  fury  of  Hildegarde  when  she  used 
to  find  it  out.  Crescenz  has  confessed  to  me,  when  we  were 
alone,  that  her  sister  had  often  lectured  her  on  her  simplicity, 
and  had  told  her  what  she  was  to  do  and  say  when  we  at- 
tempted to  joke  with  her.  Nothing  more  comical  than  seeing 
Crescenz  playing  Hildegarde." 

"  Mademoiselle  Rosenberg  was  considered  clever  ?"  asked 
Hamilton. 

"  Clever !  why  yes — as  far  as  learning  was  concerned  she 
was  the  best  in  the  school,  and  that  was  the  reason  that 
madame  and  the  governess  overlooked  her  violence  of  tem- 
per ;  she  is  very  ill-tempered." 

"  That  is  a  pity,"  said  Hamilton,  "  for  she  seems  to  have 
excellent  qualities." 

"  I  never  could  discover  anything  excellent  about  her," 
said  Madame  Berger,  biting  her  lip  slightly. 

"  Perhaps,"  observed  Hamilton,  "  she  is  more  violent  than 
ill  tempered  ;  and  you  say  that  she  can  control  herself  in  the 
presence  of  anyone  she  likes." 

"  But  it  is  exactly  these  likings  and  dislikings  that  I  find 
so  abominable ;  for  instance,  she  loves  her  father — well,  he 
is  a  very  good-looking,  quiet  sort  of  insipid  man — she,  how- 
ever, thinks  him  perfection,  and  is  outrageous  if  people  do 
not  show  an  absurd  respect  for  all  his  opinions.  What  he 
says  must  be  law  for  all  the  world  !  On  the  other  hand,  she 
dislikes  her  step-mother  ;  who  is  nothing  very  extraordinary, 
I  allow — rather  vulgar,  too  ;  but  still  she  has  her  good  quali- 
ties. Hildegarde  cannot  see  them,  and  will  not  allow  Cres- 
cenz to  become  aware  of  them  either !  Is  not  this  detest- 
able?" 

"  It  is  a  proof  that  she  has  strong  prejudices ;  but " 

The  door  just  then  was  opened,  and  Crescenz  entered  the 
room,  carrying  the  lamp,  and  smiling  brightly.  It  was  heavy, 
and  Hamilton  rose  to  assist  her  in  placing  it  on  the  table 
before  the  sofa  where  they  sat. 

"  Thank  you,  oh,  thank  you  !"  cried  Crescenz,  with  a  fer- 
vency which  Madame  Berger  thought  so  exaggerated  that 
she  found  it  necessary  to  explain. 

14 


158  THE  INITIALS. 

"  That  dear  girl  is  so  grateful  for  the  most  trifling  atten- 
tion !  It  is  generally  the  case  with  us  all  for  a  short  time 
after  we  leave  school." 

';  There  's  the  lamp !"  exclaimed  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  and 
not  broken  !  What  do  you  say  now,  Rosenberg  ?  I  declare 
it  burns  better  than  usual ; — the  globe  has  been  cleaned,  eh, 
Crescenz  ?" 

"  Yes,  Wally  cleaned  it  a  little  ;  it  was  very  dusty,"  replied 
Crescenz,  looking  archly  at  Hamilton,  and  seeming  to  enjoy 
the  equivocation. 

Hildegarde  blushed  deeply,  and  walked  into  the  next 
room. 

Hamilton  saw  the  blush,  and  looked  after  her,  while 
Madame  Berger  whispered : 

"  Did  you  see  that? — she  is  jealous  of  the  praise  bestowed 
on  her  sister." 

"  Jealous  !  oh,  no  !"  said  Hamiltonr  still  following  her  with 
his  eyes. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon  !"  cried  Madame  Berger ;  "  I  was  not 
at  all  aware  that  I  was  speaking  to  an  adorer ;  I  really  must 
go  and  tell  her  the  conquest  she  has  made." 

Perhaps  she  expected  him  to  detain  her,  or  she  feared  a 
rebuff  from  Hildegarde ;  for  she  waited  a  moment  before 
she  proceeded  into  the  next  room.  Hamilton  followed  just 
in  time  to  hear  Hildegarde  say : 

"  Pshaw !  you  are  talking  about  what  you  don't  under- 
stand," as  she  turned  contemptuously  away. 

Madame  Berger,  to  conceal  her  annoyance  at  Hildegarde's 
imperturbability,  turned  to  Crescenz,  who  had  been  placed 
next  Major  Stultz,  at  his  particular  request,  in  order  to  bring 
him  luck.  Her  presence,  however,  not  having  produced  the 
desired  effect,  he  was  told  by  Madame  Rosenberg  that  those 
who  were  fortunate  in  love  were  always  sure  to  be  unfortu- 
nate at  cards,  which  seemed  to  afford  him  great  consolation  ; 
while  Crescenz  smiled  and  played  with  his  counters  and 
purse. 

"  I  am  sure,  Crescenz,"  said  Madame  Berger,  "  I  am  sure 
you  are  thinking  what  sort  of  purse  you  will  make  for  Major 
Stultz  this  Christmas !  You  cannot  allow  him  in  future  to 
use  leather.  I  can  teach  you  to  make  a  new  kind  of  purse, 
which  is  very  strong  and  pretty." 

"Oh,  pray  do!"  cried  Crescenz,  starting  up;  "you  know 


THE  BETROTHAL.  159 

I  like  making  purses,  of  all  things.  When  will  you  begin  it 
for  me  ?" 

"  To-morrow,  if  you  like.  I  say,  Cressy,"  continued 
Madame  Berger,  in  a  whisper,  "  what  makes  Hildegarde  so 
horribly  savage  this  evening  ?" 

"  I  did  not  observe  it." 

"  She  is  most  particularly  disagreeable,  I  can  assure  you. 
I  attempted  some  most  innocent  badinage  about  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton, and  she " 

11  Oh,  about  him  you  must  not  jest ;  she  hates  him  so  ex- 
cessively  " 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it — and  he  does  not  hate  her  either." 

"You  don't  say  so?" 

"  I  say  so,  and  think  so  ;  and  you  will  see  that  I  am  right. 
Why,  he  already  makes  as  many  excuses  as  your  father  for 
her  ill-temper.     If  you  had  only  heard  him  !" 

"  I  did  not  think  Hildegarde  capable  of  playing  double," 
cried  Crescenz,  with  emotion. 

"  She  is  capable  of  anything.  Had  you  but  seen  the  look 
of  intelligence  that  passed  between  them  when  she  left  the 
room  to  inquire  about  you,  and  the  lamp,  it  would  have 
convinced  you  at  once.  And  then  he  watched  the  door, 
and " 

"  Ah,  yes  !"  exclaimed  Crescenz,  apparently  greatly  re- 
lieved ;  "  I  understand.  No,  Lina,  this  time  I  am  right,  and 
you  are  wrong.  I  know  why  he  looked  at  Hildegarde,  and 
at  the  door." 

"  You  do  ! — do  you  ?  Then,  come  and  tell  me  all  about 
it.  By-the-by,  I  should  like  to  have  a  long  talk  with  you, 
to  learn  how  matters  stand.  This  Mr.  Hamilton  is  uncom- 
monly good-looking  and  amusing  ;  I  should  like  to  know 
what  brought  him  to  Seon,  and  how  it  happened  that  he 
came  to  live  with  your  mother,  and  all  that.  If  we  have 
not  time  to-night,  you  can  tell  me  to-morrow,  while  you  are 
learning  the  purse-stitch." 

An  appointment  was  made  for  the  next  day,  and  the  party 
soon  after  broke  up. 


160  THE  INITIALS. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

DOMESTIC    DETAILS. 


Hamilton  had  gone  out  early  to  visit  Zedwitz,  and  look 
at  a  horse  recommended  by  Major  Stultz.  On  his  return, 
when  walking  towards  his  room,  he  heard  some  one  singing 
so  gayly  in  the  kitchen  that,  as  he  passed  the  door,  he  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  look  in.  Crescenz  was  standing 
opposite  the  hearth,  a  long-handled  wooden  spoon  in  her 
hand,  her  sleeves  tucked  up,  and  her  round,  white  arms  em- 
bellished with  streaks  of  smut  and  flour  ;  while  a  linen  apron, 
of  large  dimensions,  preserved  the  greater  part  of  her  dress 
from  injury.  Her  face  was  flushed,  partly  from  heat,  but 
more  from  pleasure.  As  soon  as  she  perceived  Hamilton  in 
the  doorway,  she  at  once  ceased  singing,  laughed  merrily, 
and  invited  him  to  enter.  Now  to  this  kitchen  Hamilton 
had  taken  rather  a  fancy  ;  he  thought  it  by  many  degrees 
the  best  furnished  room  in  the  house  ;  in  fact,  it  was  a 
pretty  and  cheerful  apartment,  and  kept  with  a  neatness 
common  in  Germany,  where  it  is  usual  to  see  the  female 
members  of  the  burghers'  families  employed  in  culinary 
offices. 

"  I  have  got  my  first  lesson  in  cookery  to-day,"  she  ex- 
claimed joyfully  ;  "  and  I  have  assisted  mamma  to  make  a 
tart,  and  you  see  I  am  cooking  these  vegetables,"  she  added, 
plunging  her  wooden  spoon  into  one  of  the  pots. 

"  Oh,  yes,  miss,"  cried  the  cook,  "  that's  the  soup,  and  the 
noodles  will  be  all  squashed  if  you  work  them  up  after  that 
fashion." 

"  Well,  this  is  the  sauer-hraut"  she  said,  eagerly  drawing 
one  of  the  saucepans  towards  her  ;  "  this  is  the  saner-kraut. " 

"  I  could  have  told  you  that  myself,"  cried  Hamilton, 
laughing ;  "  the  smell  is  too  odious  to  admit  of  a  doubt." 

"  But  the  taste  is  very  good,"  said  Crescenz. 

"  I  cannot  agree  with  you  ;  taste  and  smell  are  horrible  in 
the  extreme." 

"  I  never  heard  of  anyone  who  did  not  like  sauer-kraut" 


DOMESTIC  DETAILS.  161 

said  Crescenz,  with  some  surprise  ;  "  do  people  never  make 
it  in  England  ?" 

"  I  never  saw  it,  excepting  at  the  house  of  a  friend  who 
had  been  long  ambassador  at  one  of  the  German  courts,  and 
then  it  was  handed  about  as  a  sort  of  curiosity." 

"  How  odd  !  England  seems  to  be  altogether  different 
from  Germany  ?"  she  half  asked,  while  shaking  her  head  in- 
quiringly. 

"  The  difference  is  in  many  things  besides  the  eating  or 
not  eating  of  sauer-Icraut"  answered  Hamilton  ;  "  but  as  you 
are  such  a  famous  cook,  I  must  beg  you  to  give  me  some- 
thing else  to-day,  for  I  cannot  eat  your  fcraut." 

"  Oh,  yes  !"  cried  Crescenz  delightedly ;  "  Wally,  what  shall 
we  cook  for  Mr.  Hamilton  ?  I  am  sure  I  never  thought  I 
should  have  liked  this  cooking  so  much !"  As  she  spoke, 
she  with  difficulty  repressed  an  inclination  to  dance  about 
the  kitchen. 

"  Indeed,  as  you  are  learning  it,  Miss  Crescenz,"  said  Wal- 
burg,  "  it  must  be  very  agreeable.  To  think  that  you  will 
so  soon  have  a  house  of  your  own,  and  a  rich  husband  who 
will  let  you  have  everything  you  like  to  cook.  Tarts  and 
creams  every  day.  The  Major  knows  what's  good,  or  I  am 
greatly  mistaken." 

This  speech  completely  sobered  Crescenz ;  had  Hamilton 
not  been  present  she  might  have  been  loquacious ;  but  she 
now  looked  confused,  and  turned  to  leave  the  kitchen,  saying- 
it  was  time  to  wash  her  hands  for  dinner. 

"  But  I  thought  you  were  going  to  find  me  a  substitute 
for  the  sauer-7craut." 

"  Wally  will  send  in  something,"  she  answered,  rubbing 
her  arm  with  her  apron  to  avoid  looking  up  as  she  walked 
into  the  passage.  Hamilton  was  so  near  to  her  as  she  en- 
tered her  room  that  a  feeling  of  politeness  prevented  her 
from  shutting  the  door,  and  he  saw  Hildegarde  sitting  at  a 
small  deal  table  between  her  brothers  Fritz  and  Gustle ;  a 
few  books  and  a  slate  were  before  her,  and  as  the  door 
opened  she  was  returning  a  book  to  the  former,  with  the  re- 
mark, "  This  will  never  do,  Fritz.  You  have  not  learned 
one  word  of  your  lesson  !" 

uKreuz!  Himmel!  Saperment  /"  exclaimed  Fritz,  pitch- 
ing the  book  up  to  the  ceiling  ;  "  this  is  exactly  too  much  i 
when  a  fellow  has  been  all  the  morning  at  school,  and  comes 
I  14* 


162  THE  INITIALS. 

home  for  an  hour  or  so  to  eat  and  amuse  himself,  to  be  set 
down  in  this  way  to  learn  French.  I  tell  you  what,  Hilde- 
garde, I  shall  begin  to  hate  the  sight  of  you  if  you  plague 
me  with  these  old  grammars." 

''What  shall  I  do  with  him?"  asked  Hildegarde,  appeal- 
ing to  her  sister. 

"  Fritz,  learn  your  lesson — there's  a  love !"  interposed 
Crescenz ;  "  see  what  a  good  boy  Gustle  is !"  and  she  care- 
lessly placed  her  hand  on  the  shoulder  of  the  latter,  who  was 
industriously  rolling  the  leaf  of  his  book  into  the  form  of  a 
trumpet,  and  yawning  tremendously. 

:'  I  will  give  up  all  idea  of  ever  entering  the  cadet  corps, 
or  ever  being  an  officer,"  cried  Fritz,  kicking  the  book  as  it 
lay  upon  the  ground,  "  rather  than  write  these  odious  exer- 
cises and  listen  to  Hildegarde's  long  explanations." 

"  But  think  of  the  sword  and  the  uniform,  Fritz,"  said 
Crescenz,  coaxingly. 

"  Donner  una1  Doria  ! — what  is  the  use  of  a  sword  and  uni- 
form, when  I  must  learn  vocabulary  and  write  French  ex- 
ercises?" 

"  Come,  Fritz,"  cried  Hildegarde,  authoritatively,  "  let  me 
hear  no  more  of  this  absurd  swearing ;  it  does  not  at  all  be- 
come a  boy  of  your  age.  If  you  will  not  learn  your  lesson, 
I  can,  at  least,  correct  your  exercise." 

She  stretched  out  her  hand  for  the  slate.  Fritz  antici- 
pated her,  seized  and  flung  it  up  in  the  air,  as  he  had  done 
the  grammar  ;  but  it  did  not  fall  so  harmlessly.  Hamilton, 
who  had  been  standing  at  the  open  door,  rushed  forward,  but 
was  too  late  to  prevent  its  descending  with  considerable 
force  upon  her  temple,  where  it  made  a  wound,  from  which 
the  blood  instantly  began  to  trickle  in  large  dark  drops. 
Hildegarde  started  up  angrily,  while  Fritz,  after  the  first 
moment  of  dismay  had  passed,  ran  towards  her,  and  throw- 
ing his  arms  round  her,  exclaimed,  "  Forgive  me,  forgive  me 
— indeed  I  did  not  intend  to  hurt  you." 

"  If  papa  has  come  home  from  his  bureau"  said  Crescenz, 
preparing  to  leave  the  room,  "  I'll  go  this  moment  and  tell 
him." 

"  Stay,"  cried  Hildegarde,  hastily ;  "  he  says  he  did  not 
do  it  on  purpose ;  and  after  all,  I  am  not  much  hurt.  You 
must  not  tell  papa  or  mamma  either." 

"  Well,  you  certainly  are   the  best  fellow  in   the  world, 


DOMESTIC  DETAILS.  163 

Hildegarde,"  cried  Fritz.  "  I  declare  I  would  rather  be 
cuffed  by  you  than  kissed  by  Orescenz." 

"  And  cuffed  you  would  have  been,  had  you  been  near 
enough,"  said  Hildegarde,  laughing,  while  she  poured  some 
water  into  a  basin. 

"  Mamma  will  be  sure  to  see  the  cut,  and  ask  how  it  hap- 
pened," said  Crescenz. 

"  I  can  easily  hide  it  under  my  hair  when  it  has  stopped 
bleeding." 

"  Now  just  for  that,  Hildegarde,"  cried  Fritz,  "  I  promise 
to  learn  as  many  lessons  as  you  please  for  the  next  fort- 
night." 

Madame  Rosenberg's  step  and  the  jingling  of  her  keys 
alarmed  them  all.  Hamilton  turned  to  meet  her  in  the  pass- 
age, saying,  "  Can  I  speak  to  you  for  five  minutes?" 

"To  be  sure  you  can,  and  longer,  if  you  like,"  she  re- 
plied, hooking  her  keys  into  the  string  of  her  apron.  "  Just 
let  me  look  how  things  are  going  on  in  the  kitchen,  and  \ 
am  at  your  service  as  long  as  you  please.  Put  a  cover  on 
th<\t  pot,  Walburg,  and  tell  Miss  Crescenz  not  to  forget  the 
powdered  sugar  for  the  tart,  and  the  apples  for  the  boys' 
luncheon.  And  now,"  she  said,  turning  to  Hamilton,  and 
leading  the  way  to  her  room,  "  what  have  you  got  to  say  ? 
You  look  so  serious  that  I  suspect  you  are  going  to  tell  me 
that  you  dislike  your  rooms,  as  they  look  into  a  back  street, 
and  are  near  a  coppersmith's.  Captain  Black  left  me  for 
that  reason,  although  I  told  him  he  could  look  out  of  the 
drawing-room  windows  as  much  as  he  pleased,  and  receive 
all  his  visitors  there.  I  could  not  make  the  coppersmith 
leave  his  shop,  you  know ;  though  this  much  I  must  say, 
that  in  winter  the  nuisance  is  less  felt  than  in  summer,  when 
the  workmen,  during  the  fine  weather,  hammer  away  all  day 
in  the  lane,  but  in  winter  they  work  in  the  house,  and  shut 
the  doors,  so  that  they  are  scarcely  heard  at  all." 

"  I  have  slept  too  soundly  to  hear  the  coppersmiths,"  said 
Hamilton,  smiling ;  "  and  during  the  day  I  have  been  too 
seldom  in  my  room  to  be  disturbed  by  them.  In  fact,  I  find 
so  much  to  amuse — I  mean  to  say,  so  much  to  interest  me 
as  a  foreigner  in  your  house,  that  I  do  not  think  half  a  dozen 
smiths  could  induce  me  to  leave  you  at  present." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,  for  I  like  you  very  much,  and  so 
does  Rosenberg." 


164  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Then  I  hope  you  will  not  be  offended  if  I  request  to 
have  wax  candles  in  my  room,  and — a — fresh  napkin  every 
day,"  said  Hamilton,  with  some  embarrassment. 

"  This  can  easily  be  managed,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg. 
vi  Neither  Mr.  Smith  nor  Captain  Black  ever  asked  for  wax 
candles ;  but  I  suppose  you  have  been  brought  up  expen- 
sively. Now,  don't  you  think  spermaceti  candles  would  do 
just  as  well  for  a  young  man  of  your  age — such  candles  as 
you  may  have  seen  in  my  silver  candlesticks  for  company  ? 
Of  course,  I  only  mention  this  on  your  account.*' 

"  You  are  very  kind.  I  shall  be  quite  satisfied  with  sperm- 
aceti— but  I  have  still  something  to  request." 

"  I  can  save  you  the  trouble,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg, 
interrupting  him.  "  You  are  not  satisfied  with  your  dinner, 
and  wish  to  go  to  a  table  d'hote." 

"  By  no  means  !"  cried  Hamilton,  eagerly.  "  There  you 
I  do  not  in  the  least  care  what  I  eat." 
But,  indeed,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  I  don't  think  it 
would  be  a  bad  plan  were  you  to  do  so,  after  all,  for  you  see 
the  girls  must  learn  to  cook,  and  things  will  be  spoiled  some- 
times. It  is  quite  enough  to  have  Rosenberg  discontented, 
without " 

"  Oh,  I  promise  never  to  be  discontented,"  said  Hamilton, 
laughing  good-humouredly.  "  You  have  no  idea  how  indif- 
ferent I  am  on  this  subject." 

"  I  must  say,  Crescenz  seems  to  have  great  taste  for 
cookery,"  observed  Madame  Rosenberg,  complaisantly ; 
"  very  great  taste  indeed  ;  but  I  rather  expect  to  find  that 
Hildegarde  has  no  talent  that  way.  I  suspect  we  shall  often 
have  burned  cakes  and  spoiled  pudding  when  her  turn  comes. 
But  you  were  going  to  say  something  else,  I  believe." 

"  I  was  going  to  say,  that  I  have  been  looking  at  horses 
this  morning  which  I  feel  greatly  disposed  to  purchase,  if  I 
were  sure  of  finding  a  stable  near  this,  and  a  respectable 
groom." 

u  Why,  how  lucky  !"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg.  "  There 
is  now  actually  a  stable  to  let  in  this  house ;  the  new  first 
floors  don't  keep  horses,  so  you  can  have  it  all  to  yourself; 
and  old  Hans  asked  me  only  yesterday  if  I  could  not  recom- 
mend his  son  to  some  one  who  wanted  a  groom  or  coachman  ! 
I  will  go  down  with  you  at  once,  and  look  at  the  stable,  and 
you  can  speak  to  old  Hans  about  his  son." 


DOMESTIC  DETAILS.  165 

The  arrangements  were  soon  completed,  and  as  they 
ascended  the  stairs  together,  they  met  two  very  well-dressed 
women,  who  bowed  civilly,  but  distantly  to  Madame  Rosen- 
berg.    When  they  had  passed,  she  observed  to  Hamilton — 

"  The  new  lodgers  for  the  first  floor ;  they  come  on  the 
29th  of  this  month,  and  have  been  looking  at  their  apart- 
ments, which  are  being  papered  and  painted.  On  the  second 
floor  we  shall  find  our  landlord,  who  has  the  warehouse  below 
stairs,  as  he  has  six  or  eight  children,  and  they  make  a 
tremendous  noise ;  I  am  better  pleased  to  live  above  than 
below  them,  though  it  is  not  so  noble." 

After  dinner,  Hamilton,  finding  himself  alone  with  Cre- 
scenz  in  the  drawing-room,  insisted  on  her  giving  him  a  lesson 
in  German  waltzing;  she  had  just  completed  her  instruc- 
tions, and  they  were  whirling  around  the  room  for  the  first 
time  when  the  door  was  opened,  and  Hildegarde,  having 
looked  in,  closed  it  again  without  speaking. 

"  There,  now !"  cried  Crescenz,  walking  with  a  look  of 
great  vexation  towards  the  open  window  ;  "  was  there  ever 
anything  so  provoking  !  and  after  our  explanation  last  night, 
too,  but  she  really  requires  too  much  !" 

"  What  does  she  require  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  taking  pos- 
session of  the  other  half  of  the  window,  and  leaning  on  one 
of  the  cushions,  which,  as  usual  in  Germany,  were  conveni- 
ently placed  for  the  elbows  of  those  who  habitually  gazed 
into  the  street.     "  What  does  she  require  ?" 

"  That  I  should  never,  for  one  moment,  forget  that  I  have 
promised  to  marry  Major  Stultz.  I  know  quite  well  that 
she  disapproves  of  my  having  danced  with  you." 

"  And  if  you  were  to  go  to  a  ball  now,  would  you  not  be 
at  liberty  to  dance  with  whomsoever  you  pleased  ?" 

"  Oh,  of  course." 

"  Then,  why  not  with  me  ?" 

"  Oh,  because — because — she  knows  that — I — that  you — " 

"  In  fact,"  said  Hamilton,  "  you  have  told  her  of  my  inex- 
cusable conduct  the  day  we  were  on  the  alp." 

"  No,"  replied  Crescenz,  blushing  deeply,  "  I  have  only 
told  her  that  you  cannot  marry  without  your  father's  consent 
— that  the  younger  sons  of  English  people  cannot  marry — 
just  what  you  told  me  yourself." 

"  The  recollection  of  that  day  will  cause  me  regret  as  long 
as  I  live,"  said  Hamilton,  blushing  in  his  turn  ;  "  thought- 


166  THE  INITIALS. 

less  words  on  such  a  subject  are  quite  unpardonable.  I  hope 
you  have  forgotten  all  I  said  !" 

"  I  cannot  forget,"  said  Crescenz,  looking  intently  into  the 
street  to  hide  her  emotion — "  I  cannot  forget — it  was  the 
first  time  I  had  ever  heard  anything  of  that  kind,  and  was 
so  exactly  what  I  had  imagined  in  every  respect." 

Hamilton  bit  his  lip,  and  replied  gravely :  "  It  was  the 
novelty  alone  which  gave  importance  to  my  words ;  I  am 
convinced,  had  you  considered  for  a  moment,  you  would 
have  laughed  at  me  as  I  deserved.  Major  Stultz  must  often 
have  said " 

"Major  Stultz,"  said  Crescenz,  contemptuously,  "never 
speaks  of  anything  but  how  comfortably  we  shall  live  to- 
gether, and  what  we  shall  have  for  dinner,  and  how  many 
servants  we  shall  be  able  to  keep,  and  all  those  sorts  of 
things,  which  make  it  impossible  to  forget  one  year  of  his 
age,  or  one  bit  of  his  ugliness." 

"  He  is  a  very  good-natured  man,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and 
Zedwitz  told  me,  has  been  a  very  distinguished  officer." 

"  You  are  just  beginning  to  talk  like  Hildegarde,"  cried 
Crescenz,  impatiently,  "  and  from  you,  who  are  the  cause  of 
my  unhappiness,  I  will  not  bear  it." 

"  The  cause  of  your  unhappiness  !"  repeated  Hamilton, 
slowly ;  "  if  I  really  could  believe  that  possible,  nothing 
would  induce  me  to  remain  an  hour  longer  in  this  house." 

"  Oh,  no,"  cried  Crescenz,  hastily,  "  no  !  I  did  not  mean 
what  I  said.  Oh,  no  !  you  must  have  seen  that  I  am  not 
unhappy  !  I — I — am  very  happy,"  and  she  burst  into  tears 
as  she  spoke. 

"  Well,  this  is  a  punishment  for  thoughtlessness !'  ex- 
claimed Hamilton,  starting  from  his  place  at  the  window, 
and  striding  up  and  down  the  room.  "Surely,  surely,  such 
vague  expressions  as  mine  were  did  not  deserve  such  a 
serious  construction  !" 

"  Vague  expressions,"  repeated  Crescenz,  looking  up 
through  her  tears — "  serious  construction  ?  Did  you  not 
mean  what  you  said  ?" 

"  By  heaven  !  I  don't  know  what  1  said,  or  what  I  meant," 
cried  Hamilton,  vehemently. 

Crescenz's  sobs  became  frightfully  audible. 

"  Crescenz — forgive  me,"  he  said  hastily ;  "  once  more  I 
ask  your  pardon,  and  entreat  of  you  to  forget  my  folly.     Let 


DOMESTIC  DETAILS.  167 

this  subject  never  again  be  mentioned,  if  you  would  not 
make  me  hate  myself." 

"  But,"  sobbed  Crescenz,  "  but  tell  me,  at  least,  that  you 
were  not,  as  Hildegarde  said,  making  a  fool  of  me.  Tell  me, 
oh,  tell  me,  that  you  love  me,  and  I  am  satisfied." 

"  You — you  do  not  know  what  you  are  saying,"  cried 
Hamilton,  involuntarily  smiling  at  her  extreme  simplicity. 
"  You  are  asking  me  to  repeat  a  transgression  which  I  most 
heartily  repent.  Situated  as  you  are,  such  a  confession  on 
my  part,  now  deliberately  made,  would  be  little  less  than — a 
crime." 

"  You  mean  because  I  am  betrothed  !" 

He  was  spared  an  answer  by  Hildegarde's  entrance  with  a 
small  tray  and  coffee-cups.  It  was  in  vain  that  Crescenz 
turned  to  the  window  to  conceal  her  tears ;  Hildegarde  saw 
them,  and,  turning  angrily  to  Hamilton,  exclaimed  : 

"  This  is  most  unjustifiable  conduct — dishonourable " 

"Oh,  stop!  Hildegarde!"  cried  Crescenz,  beseechingly: 
"  Pray  stop !  You  are,  as  usual,  doing  him  injustice,  and 
misunderstanding  him  altogether." 

"  Do  not  attempt  a  justification,"  cried  Hamilton,  impa- 
tiently;  "she  will  not  believe  you.  And,"  he  added  in  a 
whisper,  "  in  fact,  I  do  not  deserve  it." 

Walburg  interrupted  them  by  half  opening  the  door,  and 
informing  them  mysteriously,  that  an  officer  was  without 
who  had  asked  for  Mr.  Hamilton. 

"  Show  him  into  my  sitting-room,  and  say  I  shall  be  with 
him  in  a  moment." 

"  My  visit  is  only  partly  intended  for  you,  Hamilton,"  said 
Zedwitz,  entering  the  room.  "  I  wish  also  to  pay  my  respects 
to  Madame  Rosenberg." 

He  had  scarcely  time  to  glance  towards  Hildegarde  before 
she  left  the  room,  followed  by  her  sister. 

"  The  young  ladies  are  not  particularly  civil  to  you,"  ob- 
served Hamilton,  seating  himself  on  the  sofa. 

"  Why,  you  did  not  expect  them  to  remain  here  with  us, 
did  you?" 

"  To  be  sure  I  did." 

"  I  did  not,  but  I  expect  them  to  return  with  their  mother." 

Crescenz  did.  Hildegarde  did  not.  And  in  consequence 
Zedwitz's  visit  to  Madame  Rosenberg  was  very  short,  and  he 
soon  adjourned  to  Hamilton's  room. 


168  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Why,  what's  this  ?"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg,  peeping 
into  the  coffee-pot.  "  I  do  declare,  Mr.  Hamilton  has  for- 
gotten to  drink  his  coffee  !" 

"  Let  me  take  it  to  him,"'  said  Crescenz,  advancing  towards 
the  table. 

"  You  will  do  no  such  thing,"  said  her  step-mother,  waving 
her  hastily  back.  "  No  such  thing — and  I  think — that  is, 
the  Major — but  it  is  not  necessary  to  explain.  Call  Hilde- 
garde." 

Hildegarde  came  and  was  desired  to  carry  the  tray  to 
Hamilton's  room. 

"  May  I  not  send  Walburg  ?" 

"  You  may  not,  because  I  have  sent  her  on  an  errand,  and 
the  coffee  is  too  cold  to  be  kept  waiting  until  her  return, 
now  that  the  fire  is  out  in  the  kitchen." 

"  But — but "  hesitated  Hildegarde,  "  Mr.  Hamilton  is 

not  alone." 

"  Count  Zedwitz  is  in  his  room,  but  he  won't  bite  you,  so 
go  at  once,  and  don't  be  disobliging." 

Half  an  hour  afterwards  Hamilton  was  in  the  corridor, 
looking  for  his  cane,  which  the  children  had  mislaid.  He 
turned  into  the  nursery,  and  while  rummaging  there,  Madame 
Rosenberg  joined  him,  and  hoped  he  had  not  found  his  coffee 
too  cold. 

':  Coffee  !  no — yes  !     When,  where  did  I  drink  it?" 

"  In  your  own  room,"  replied  Madame  Rosenberg,  laughing. 
"  Your  memory  must  be  very  short ;  I  sent  it  to  you  by 
Hildegarde,  about  half  an  hour  ago." 

He  looked  inquiringly  towards  Hildegarde.  She  raised 
her  eyes  slowly  from  her  work,  and  looking  at  him  steadily 
and  gravely,  said  in  French  : 

"  I  threw  it  out  of  the  window  rather  than  take  it  to  you." 

"  Next  time  I  advise  you  to  drink  it,"  said  Hamilton, 
laughing,  as  he  left  the  room  with  Zedwitz.  While  descend- 
ing the  stairs,  he  observed  : 

••  Well,  that  is  the  oddest  girl  I  ever  met — perfectly  origi- 
nal.    You  have  no  idea  how  she  amuses  and  interests  me." 

"  I  can  easily  imagine  it,"  said  Zedwitz.  dryly. 

"  But  you  can  not  imagine  how  intensely  she  hates  me." 

"  That  was  what  you  desired,  if  I  remember  rightly  ;  and 
for  your  sake  I  hope  you  continue  as  indifferent  as  formerly." 

"  Not  exactly ;  I  believe  I  rather  feel  inclined  to  like  her 


DOMESTIC  DETAILS.  169 

unpolished  sincerity  and  straightforward  vehemence ;  she 
really  would  be  charming  sometimes,  if  she  were  a  little  less 
quarrelsome." 

"  I  never  found  her  quarrelsome,"  said  Zedwitz. 

"  Of  course  not,  when  you  were  enacting  the  part  of 
adorer.  That  makes  all  the  difference  in  the  world  !  But 
what  are  you  looking  at?"  asked  Hamilton,  seeing  his  com- 
panion stop  short  at  .the  street-door.  "  I  see  nothing  but  a 
couple  of  officers  lounging  about  the  windows  of  that  bra- 
zier's shop  opposite,  which  cannot  contain  anything  particu- 
larly interesting,  I  should  think." 

"  Did  you  think  they  were  admiring  the  coffee-pots  and 
candlesticks?"  asked  Zedwitz.  "  That's  only  a  feint — I  saw 
them  looking  up  at  the  Rosenberg  windows.  It  is  a  regular 
window  parade,  and  they  have  been  here  nearly  an  hour ; 
for  I  saw  them  in  the  street,  as  I  entered  the  house.  Let  us 
cross  over  and  see  whether  it  be  intended  for  Hildegarde,  or 
Crescenz." 

They  crossed  the  street,  looked  up,  and  saw  Madame 
Berger  sitting  at  the  window,  teaching  Crescenz  the  prom- 
ised pretty  and  strong  purse-stitch.  Although  the  latter  ap- 
peared extremely  intent  on  her  work,  she  was  evidently  aware 
of  what  was  passing  in  the  street,  for,  as  Zedwitz  and  Hamil- 
ton saluted,  she  bowed  and  blushed  deeply. 

"  She,  at  least,  has  not  yet  learned  to  play  unconscious," 
observed  Zedwitz,  laughing ;  "  Madame  Berger  can  give  her 
some  instruction." 

"  Do  you  know  Madame  Berger?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Of  course  ;  her  husband  is  our  physician.  She  is  very 
pretty,  and  the  greatest  coquette  in  Christendom.  I  say, 
Raimund,  what  are  you  admiring  in  that  shop  ?"  said  Zed- 
witz, stopping  suddenly  opposite  the  brazier's  and  addressing 
one  of  the  officers. 

"  The  kitchen  utensils,  Max !  I  shall  soon  be  obliged  to 
purchase  such  things,  and  they  have  a  kind  of  mysterious 
interest  for  me  now." 

"  You  don't  mean  to'say  that  you  are  going  to  keep  house 
— going  to  be  married  ?" 

"  My  father  says  so,  which  is  much  more  to  the  purpose," 
replied  Raimund. 

"  And  who  is  the  happy  woman  destined  to  make  you  a 
respectable  member  of  society  ?" 


170  THE  INITIALS. 

11  They  tell  me  she  lives  in  that  house,"  replied  Raimund, 
pointing  to  the  one  they  had  just  left. 

"  The  third  story  ?"  asked  Zedwitz,  quickly. 

"  No,  Max,  for  a  wife  I  do  not  look  so  high,"  replied  the 
other,  ironically. 

"  And  when  may  I  offer  my  congratulations  ?" 

"  Not  just  now,  if  you  please,  for,  as  I  have  never  yet 
spoken  to  the  lady,  something  might  occur  to  prevent  the 
thing ;  but  I  have  very  nearly  made  up  my  mind." 

Zedwitz  laughed  and  walked  on  with  Hamilton.  "  I  hope 
he  has  told  the  truth,"  he  said,  musingly ;  "  I  hope  he  has 
told  the  truth,  for  I  should  be  very  sorry  if  he  made  his 
way  into  the  Rosenberg  family.  He  is  very  clever,  but  a 
great  reprobate ;  has  already  seduced  two  girls  of  respect- 
able connections,  and  is  not  ashamed  to  boast  of  his  suc- 
cess." 

"  Were  there  no  fathers,  no  brothers,  no  cousins,  to  com- 
pel him  to  make  reparation?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  As  it  happened,  there  were  none,"  replied  Zedwitz ; 
"  but  even  if  there  had  been,  he  has  not  the  caution-money, 
and  could  not  marry.  If  he  were  serious  just  now,  I  sup- 
pose his  father  has  discovered  some  rich  partie  for  him,  and 
that  he  will  succeed,  I  do  not  for  a  moment  doubt.  He  pre- 
tends to  have  a  regular  system  of  seduction,  which  consists 
in  several  gradations  of  improper  books — it  is  disgusting  to 
hear  him  descant  on  the  subject." 

"  But  he  will  carefully  avoid  anything  of  that  kind  with 
his  future  wife?"  said  Hamilton. 

"  I  was  not  thinking  of  his  wife,  for  I  do  not  know  her ;  I 
fear  for  the  Rosenbergs — Hildegarde  would  be  sure  to  attract 
him." 

"  He  would,  however,  have  no  chance  of  success  in  that 
quarter,  I  am  sure,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  It  is  hard  to  say  ;  her  nature  is  passionate,  and  I  should 
be  sorry  to  see  her  an  object  of  attention  to  such  a  man. 
The  fact  is,  I  find  it  impossible  to  forget  her,  and  as  long  as 
I  know  her  to  be  free,  I  cannot  cease  to  indulge  hopes  that 
she  may  eventually  be  mine.  What  I  most  apprehend  is  a 
sudden  and  violent  passion  on  her  part  for  some  person  as 
yet,  perhaps,  unknown  ;  for  I  believe  her  capable  of  loving 
desperately." 

"  And  you  very  naturally  wish  to  be  the  object  of  this 


DOMESTIC  DETAILS.  171 

desperate  love?     But  how  are  you  to  obtain  your  father's 
consent  to  your  union  ?" 

"  Of  that  I  have  no  hope  whatever ;  but  as  I  am  an  only 
son,  I  have  every  chance  of  pardon  were  I  once  married. 
My  mother's  opposition  is  much  less  violent,  but  quite  as 
determined  as  my  father's,  and  the  astonishment  of  both  was 
indescribable  when  I  confessed  that  I  had  been  refused  with- 
out explanation  or  chance  of  recall.  All  my  hopes  are  now 
centred  in  my  sister,  who  is  a  dear,  good  little  soul,  and  has 
promised  to  assist  me  when  she  can.  By-the-by,  she  made 
a  remark  which  may,  perhaps,  interest  you."  Zedwitz 
stopped  and  looked  very  hard  at  Hamilton. 

"  Pray  let  me  hear  it." 

"  She  said  she  was  sure  I  should  not  have  spoken  in  vain 
had  not  Hildegarde  loved  another " 

"  Well,  that  was  your  own  modest  idea,  was  it  not?"  said 
Hamilton,  interrupting  him. 

"  Yes ;  but  it  was  not  my  idea  that  you  were  the  object  of 
her  preference." 

Hamilton  laughed. 

'•Perhaps  you  are  already  aware  of  it?"  asked  Zedwitz, 
growing  very  red. 

"  No,  indeed,"  replied  Hamilton,  trying  to  look  serious,  "  I 
am  only  amused  at  your  sister's  strong  imagination ;  were 
she,  however,  to  see  us  together,  and  hear  us  speak,  she 
would  soon  think  differently." 

"  You  forget  that  my  sister  was  at  Seon,  and  had  oppor- 
tunities of  making  observations." 

"  But  she  is  not  aware  how  desperately  we  quarrel ;  she 
does  not  know " 

"  I  have  told  her  all  that,  and  she  insists  that  Hildegarde 
likes  you  without  being  herself  conscious  of  it." 

"  But  I  assure  you  she  has  told  me  more  than  once  that 
she  hates  me." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  Zedwitz,  dryly,  and  imme- 
diately after  he  changed  the  subject. 

This  conversation,  notwithstanding  the  little  impression  it 
had  apparently  made  on  Hamilton,  took  complete  possession 
of  his  thoughts,  as  he  walked  home  late  in  the  evening. 
However  incredulous  he  might  at  first  have  felt,  the  idea  was 
too  flattering  to  his  vanity  to  be  lightly  abandoned ;  and  no 
sooner  had  he  admitted  the  possibility,  than  it  became  prob' 


172  THE  INITIALS. 

ability :  nay,  almost  certainty.  It  is  extraordinary  what  a 
revolution  these  reflections  made  in  his  feelings.  Hildegarde 
was  so  remarkably  handsome  that  he  had  been  compelled 
to  admire  her  person  ;  her  odd  decided  manners  had  always 
amused  him ;  but  now  that  he  imagined  himself  so  much 
the  object  of  her  preference  as  to  cause  her  to  refuse  the  ad- 
dresses of  Zedwitz,  his  admiration  began  to  verge  towards 
love ;  and  the  manners  which  had  before  caused  him  amuse- 
ment became  the  subject  of  deep  interest,  as  affording  a  key 
to  the  mind  which,  with  secret  satisfaction,  he  felt  he  had 
always  considered  of  no  common  stamp.  Pleased  with  him- 
self, and  unconsciously  prepared  to  be  more  than  pleased 
with  the  subject  of  his  thoughts,  he  bounded  up  stairs,  rang 
the  bell,  and  was  admitted  by  Hildegarde  herself. 

"  Mr.  Hamilton,"  she  said,  with  some  embarrassment,  "  I 
wish  to  speak  to  you  alone  for  a  few  minutes,  if  you  are  at 
leisure." 

'  I  am  quite  at  leisure,"  replied  Hamilton,  following  her 
towards  the  drawing-room.  She  walked  directly  to  the  win- 
dow, and  desired  him  so  haughtily  to  "  shut  the  door,"  that 
he  felt  half  inclined  to  be  angry.  After  waiting  some  time 
in  vain  expectation  that  she  would  begin  the  conversation, 
he  observed,  with  some  pique  at  her  apparent  imperturba- 
bility— 

"  To  what  extraordinary  event,  or  to  what  singular  good 
fortune,  am  I  indebted  for  this  interview,  mademoiselle?" 

No  sooner  had  he  spoken  than  he  perceived  that  her  com- 
posure had  been  forced,  that  she  was  in  fact  struggling  with 
contending  emotions,  and  quite  unable  to  utter  a  word. 
After  some  delay,  she  at  last  began  in  a  constrained  voice — 

"  Believe  me,  Mr.  Hamilton,  that  nothing  but  my  affection 
for  my  sister  could  have  induced  me  to  trespass  on  your  time, 
or,"  she  added  more  naturally,  "  subject  myself  to  your 
sneers." 

Hamilton  remained  silent,  and  she  again  commenced  with 
evident  effort.  "  You  are  aware  that  my  sister's  feelings 
towards  you  are  more  favourable  than " 

"  Than  yours  ?"  he  asked,  interrupting  her. 

"  I  have  not  requested  this  interview  to  speak  of  my  own 
feelings,"  she  answered,  sternly  and  turning  pale.  "  1  wish 
to  point  out  to  you  how  ungenerous,  how  cruel  your  conduct 
has  been  to  my  gentle,  confiding  sister.    You  know  the  influ- 


DOMESTIC  DETAILS.  173 

ence  you  have  acquired  over  her — you  are  aware  that  she  is 
on  the  eve  of  marriage  with  another,  and  that  other  person 
she  has  yet  to  learn  to  love  ;  instead  of  pointing  out  to  her  any 
estimable  qualities  he  may  possess  in  order  to  reconcile  her 
to  her  fate,  you  turn  him  on  all  occasions  into  ridicule,  and 
— and — not  content  with  changing  her  indifference  for  her 
future  husband  into  positive  dislike,  you  take  every  oppor- 
tunity of  paying  her  attentions,  which,  knowing  the  state  of 
her  feelings  towards  you,  is  a  refinement  of  cruelty  that  you 
must  acknowledge  to  be  unpardonable." 

"  You  speak  like  a  book,  mademoiselle !  Your  affection 
for  your  sister  makes  you  absolutely  eloquent !  but  would  it 
not  have  been  better  had  you  consented  to  marry  Major 
Stultz,  and  so  saved  your  gentle,  confiding  sister  from  this 
unwished-for  connection  ?  You  would,  no  doubt,  easily  have 
learned  to  love  him  and  esteem  any  amiable  qualities  he  may 
possess  !"  He  spoke  calmly  and  ironically  ;  but  the  idea  of 
the  beautiful  creature  before  him,  as  the  wife  of  Major  Stultz, 
inflicted  a  pang  of  jealousy  which  sufficiently  punished  him 
for  his  impertinence.  Hildegarde  was  perfectly  unconscious 
of  the  feelings  of  her  tormentor ;  he  had  intended  to  have 
irritated  her,  for  her  self-possession  wounded  his  vanity,  while 
her  too  evident  dislike  cut  him  to  the  quick.  He  failed, 
however,  for  the  first  time,  and  most  completely  ;  either  her 
affection  for  her  sister,  or  the  consciousness  of  right,  pre- 
vented her  from  exhibiting  even  impatience  when  she  again 
spoke. 

"  You  seem  to  have  forgotten  that  Major  Stultz's  proposal 
to  me  was  made  after  a  two-days'  acquaintance.  I  refused 
him  because  I  did  not  like  him,  and  I  knew  it  could  give  no 
pain  to  a  man  whose  mere  object  was  to  have  a  wife  to 
manage  his  household  concerns.  It  never  occurred  to  me 
that  he  would  turn,  half  an  hour  afterward,  to  my  sister, 
and  that  my  vehemence  would  only  serve  to  make  him  more 
cautious,  and  her  fate  more  certain.  You  know  he  applied 
to  my  step-mother,  and  wrote  to  my  father.  The  answer 
was  a  letter,  full  of  reproaches  to  me,  and  of  entreaties  and 
commendations  to  Crescenz,  which,  to  her  yielding  nature, 
were  irresistible  ;  and  I  do  believe,  if  given  time,  and  were 
you  not  here,  she  might  be  reconciled  to  her  lot.  However 
little  Major  Stultz  may  have  cared  for  Crescenz  at  first,  it  is 
impossible  for  him  to  remain  long  indifferent  to  so  much 

15* 


174  THE  INITIALS. 

goodness.  I  think  he  already  begins  to  be  sincerely  attached 
to  her  ;  in  time,  gratitude  and  habit  will  enable  her  to  return 
his  affection,  and  they  may,  eventually,  be  very  happy.  At 
all  events,  my  sister's  fate  is  now  irrevocable." 

She  paused  for  a  moment,  and  then  added :  "  Oh,  Mr. 
Hamilton,  be  generous  !  Spare  her  !  Leave  Munich — or, 
at  least,  leave  our  house " 

"  You  require  a  great  and  most  unnecessary  sacrifice  on 
my  part,  mademoiselle.  Suppose  I  were  able  to  convince 
you  that  my  absence  is  unnecessary  ?" 

"  You  cannot  do  so,"  replied  Hildegarde,  with  a  slightly 
impatient  gesture. 

"  I  have  listened  to  you  with  patience  and  expect  in  my 
turn  to  be  heard,"  said  Hamilton,  handing  her  a  chair,  which, 
however,  she  indignantly  refused. 

"  Your  sister  has  most  probably  told  you "  he  began. 

"  My  sister  has  told  me  nothing,"  cried  Hildegarde,  inter- 
rupting him  angrily, "  excepting  that  you  said  you  could  not 
marry,  or  even  think  of  marriage !  The  conversation  which 
preceded  such  a  declaration  I  can  imagine !" 

"  Indeed !  It  seems  you  have  had  experience  in  these 
matters." 

Hildegarde  bit  her  lip  and  tapped  with  her  foot  on  the 
floor,  while  Hamilton  smiled  provokingly,  and  watched  her 
varying  colour. 

"  Ungenerous,  unfeeling  Englishman !"  she  cried  at  length ; 
"  I — I  see  you  are  trying  to  put  me  into  a  passion — but  I 
am  not  angry,  not  in  the  least,  I  assure  you,"  she  said,  seat- 
ing herself  on  the  chair  he  had  before  placed  for  her.  "  You 
said,"  she  added  in  a  constrained  voice,  "  you  said  you  were 
able  to  convince  me " 

"  You  have  convinced  me  that  you  are  a  consummate 
actress  !"  cried  Hamilton,  contemptuously. 

"  I  am  no  actress !"  she  exclaimed,  starting  from  her  chair 
with  such  violence  that  it  fell  to  the  ground  with  a  loud 
crash.  "  I  am  no  actress !  For  Crescenz's  sake,  I  have 
endeavoured  to  be  calm,  in  the  hope  of  making  some  impres- 
sion on  you,  but  you  are  even  more  thoroughly  selfish  than  I 
imagined.    This  is  the  last  time  I  shall  ever  speak  to  you  !" 

"  Don't  make  rash  vows,"  said  Hamilton,  coolly.  "  I  dare 
say  you  will  often  speak  to  me  in  time — perhaps  condescend 
to  like  me !" 


DOMESTIC  DETAILS.  175 

"  Never !  I  do  not  think  there  exists  a  more  unamiable 
being  in  the  world  than  you  are  !  I  now  see  you  are  deter- 
mined not  to  leave  our  house,  and  only  wonder  I  could  have 
been  such  a  fool  as  to  expect  you  to  act  honourably." 

Hamilton  turned  to  the  window  to  hide  his  rising  colour. 

"  You  are  vindictive,  too,"  she  continued,  "  cruelly  vindic- 
tive. It  is  because  you  dislike  me ;  it  is  in  order  to  make 
me  unhappy  that  you  trifle  with  my  sister's  feelings.  You 
do  not,  you  cannot  love  her.  She  is  not  at  all  a  person  likely 
to  interest  a  man  such  as  you  are !" 

"  When  did  you  discover  that  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  turning 
suddenly  round. 

"  No  matter,"  she  replied,  moving  towards  the  door,  some- 
what surprised  at  the  effect  her  words  had  produced  on  him. 
"  No  matter ;  I  now  see  that  these  conferences  and  quarrels 
are  worse  than  useless,  and " 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  said  Hamilton,  quickly,  "  and  am 
most  willing  to  sign  a  treaty  of  peace,  on  reasonable  terms. 
Suppose  I  promise  never  by  word  or  deed  to  disparage  Major 
Stultz  in  future,  and  totally  to  abstain  from  all  further  atten- 
tions to  you  sister?" 

"  That — is  —  better  —  than  —  nothing,"  said  Hildegarde, 
slowly,  "  and  as  I  am  acting  for  the  benefit  of  another,  I 
ought  not  to  refuse  a  compromise.  If  you  promise,"  she 
added,  hesitatingly,  "  I — I  think  I  may  trust  you." 

"  And  are  you  satisfied  without  my  leaving  the  house?" 

"  I  suppose  I  must  be,"  she  replied,  stooping  to  raise  the 
chair  she  had  thrown  down ;  Hamilton  moved  it  from  her, 
and  leaning  on  the  back  of  it,  asked  if  he  might  not  now 
hope,  in  case  he  conscientiously  performed  his  promises,  that 
she  would  in  future  be  at  least  commonly  civil  to  him. 

"  You  have  advised  me  to  make  no  rash  vows,"  said  Hilde- 
garde. "  The  wisest  thing  we  could  both  do  would  be  never 
to  look  at  or  speak  to  each  other  again." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,"  said  Hamilton,  gravely,  "  but 
such  wisdom  is  too  great  for  me " 

She  left  the  room  while  he  was  speaking,  without  even 
looking  at  him. 

"  Zedwitz  and  his  sister  were  totally  mistaken,"  thought 
Hamilton,  "  but  I  am  determined,  since  they  have  put  it 
into  my  head,  to  make  her  like  me  l" 


176  THE  INITIALS. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

A   TRUCE. 

"  Does  Mr.  Rosenberg  never  spend  his  evenings  at  home  ?" 
asked  Hamilton,  after  having  waited  three  weeks  in  expec- 
tation of  becoming  better  acquainted  with  him. 

"Oh,  no;  what  could  he  do  at  home?"  asked  his  wife, 
seemingly  surprised  at  the  question. 

Hamilton  was  silent ;  he  remembered  that  he  had  never 
seen  Mr.  Rosenberg  converse  with  his  wife. 

"  He  never  drinks  his  beer  or  reads  the  papers  at  home," 
she  continued  ;  "  but  you  can  go  out  with  him  whenever  you 
like — I  wonder  you  do  not,  for  it  is  very  natural  that  you 
should  find  it  dull  here  when  you  cannot  go  to  the  theatre." 

"  I  do  not  find  it  dull,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  and  I  should 
not  go  so  often  to  the  theatre  if  I  had  not  heard  that  it  was 
the  best  means  to  perfect  one's  self  in  a  foreign  language. 
By-the-by,  I  received  a  letter  from  my  father  this  morning, 
and  he  desires  me  forthwith  to  engage  a  German  master ; 
he  expects  me  to  write  German  as  well  as  English  when  I 
return  home,  and  says  I  should  study  German  literature.  I 
wished  to  have  asked  Mr.  Rosenberg  to  recommend  me  to 
someone,  for  as  I  am  not  quite  a  beginner,  I  should  like  to 
have  a  person  really  capable  of  directing  my  studies  during 
the  winter.  One  can  read  a  good  deal  in  six  months  when 
the  dictionary  is  no  longer  in  requisition." 

"  If  you  wish  to  study  French,  Hildegarde  could  give  you 
instructions,  for  she  understands  it  thoroughly ;  but  Ger- 
man has  been  rather  neglected  in  her  education.  I  really 
think  I  must  let  her  take  lessons  at  the  same  time  with  you." 

"  I  shall  be  very  much  obliged  to  you,"  said  Hildegarde, 
bestowing,  for  the  first  time,  a  look  of  regard  on  her  step- 
mother; "very  much  obliged  indeed." 

"  That  will  be  delightful,"  said  Hamilton,  eagerly.  "  I 
have  always  received  my  German  lessons  with  my  sister,  and 
am  particularly  fond  of  learning  in  company." 

"  May  I  not  learn  too,  mamma  ?"  asked  Crescenz,  timidly. 


A   TRUCE.  177 

"  What  for  ?"  asked  her  mother,  with  a  laugh.  "  Have 
you  not  already  secured  a  good  husband,  who  is  satisfied 
with  you  as  you  are  ?  It  would  be  time  and  money  thrown 
away,  and  you  have  enough  to  do  preparing  your  trousseau 
at  present.  The  workwoman  comes  to-morrow,  and  we  must 
then  begin  in  earnest.  As  to  Hildegarde,  she  has  thrown 
away  an  opportunity  which  I  hope  she  may  not  hereafter  re- 
gret. Husbands  will  not  fall  down  from  heaven  to  be  picked 
up  just  when  she  is  in  the  humour  to  marry ;  she  must  try 
in  every  way  to  improve  herself  now,  as  a  time  may  come 
when  she  may  be  obliged  to  give  instruction.  Life  is  pre- 
carious ;  if  anything  should  happen  to  your  father " 

"  My  father  !"  exclaimed  Hildegarde,  anxiously.  "  Has  he 
been  complaining  lately  ?     Do  you  fear  a  return  of " 

"  Your  anxiety  is  unnecessary  ;  he  is  at  present  perfectly 
well,"  answered  her  mother  dryly.  "  I  wish,  when  I  am 
really  suffering,  you  would  sometimes  show  a  little  of  the  at- 
tention and  anxiety  which  you  bestow  at  times  so  unneces- 
sarily on  him  ;  it  would  become  you  better,  Hildegarde,  than 
the  cold  heartlessness  which  you  evince  for  everything  that 
concerns  me.  Crescenz  is  quite  different,  and  therefore  1  feel 
for  her  as  if  she  were  my  own  child." 

"  But,  mamma,"  said  Crescenz,  in  a  very  low  voice,  "you 
are  always  kind  to  me  !" 

"  Am  I  not  kind  to  Hildegarde  ?" 

Crescenz  blushed,  stammered,  and  looked  anxiously  towards 
her  sister. 

"  No,"  said  Hildegarde,  courageously,  "  you  are  not  kind 
to  me  ;  perhaps  I  do  not  deserve  it.  I  have  no  right  to  ex- 
pect you  to  love  me,  but  I  have  a  right  to  expect  you  to  be 
just." 

"  I  was  disposed  to  be  more  th^n  just  to  you  at  first,  Hil- 
degarde, if  you  allowed  me.  Mr.  Hamilton  shall  be  judge  be- 
tween us." 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  Hamilton,  "  I  do  not  feel  competent  to 
give  an  opinion  on  such  a  subject." 

"  Chance  has,  however,  placed  you  exactly  in  a  position  to 
act  as  umpire  ;  we  must  be  satisfied  with  your  decision,  be- 
cause we  know  you  to  be  an  unbiassed  looker-on.  My  step- 
daughters were  with  me  but  a  few  weeks  before  I  met  you  at 
Seon ;  since  that  time  you  have  been  constantly  with  us. 
Hildegarde,  shall  I  go  on?" 


178  THE  INITIALS. 

Hildegarde  murmured  something  about  "  strangers"  and 
"  family  dissensions." 

"  Mr.  Hamilton  is  no  longer  a  stranger ;  and  as  to  the  dis- 
sensions, such  as  they  are,  he  has  been  a  witness  to  them. 
For  my  part,  I  should  like  to  explain,  but  if  you  acknowl- 
edge that  you  have  been  unjustly  and  unnecessarily  preju- 
diced against  me,  I  shall  be  silent." 

"  Mr.  Hamilton  is  not  so  unbiassed  an  arbitrator  as  you 
suppose,"  observed  Hildegarde,  looking  up  steadily  while  she 
leaned  on  the  table. 

Madame  Rosenberg  looked  from  one  to  the  other  with  a 
puzzled  air,  until  Hildegarde  added :  "  He  will  find  it  diffi- 
cult not  to  lean  to  your  side,  and  take  your  part,  even  if  he 
wished  to  be  just,  because  he  dislikes  me  personally." 

"  Another  argument  against  you,  Hildegarde !"  cried 
M!adame  Rosenberg,  triumphantly.  "  Why  should  he  dis- 
like you  more  than  another,  if  you  were  not  less  amiable  ? 
Your  own  words  condemn  you  !'r 

"  Be  it  so,"  said  Hildegarde,  with  some  emotion.  "  No 
one  loves  me  but — but — my  father." 

"  /  love  you,  Hildegarde,"  whispered  Crescenz,  gently 
taking  her  sister's  hand,  and,  at  the  same  time,  looking 
timidly  towards  her  step-mother,  "  I  love  you  too." 

"  I  shall  soon  see  your  affection  decline ;  it  cannot  be 
otherwise,"  said  Hildegarde,  bending  over  her  work  to  col- 
ceal  the  large  tears  which  stood  in  her  eyes,  ready  to  fall 
when  she  could  permit  them  to  do  so  unperceived. 

Madame  Rosenberg  was  not  a  person  of  much  observa- 
tion, although  possessed  of  a  good  deal  of  common  sense. 
She  heard  the  words,  and  answered  to  them.  "  Of  course, 
when  Crescenz  marries,  you  cannot  expect  any  longer  to  be 
her  first  object;  Major  Stultz  will,  and  ought  to  take  your 
place  in  her  affections — it  is  the  way  of  the  world — the  law 
of  nature  !" 

Hildegarde's  work  dropped  from  her  hands.  Hamilton, 
who  was  sitting  beside  her,  picked  it  up  ;  and  as  she  stooped 
to  take  it  from  him,  the  tears  which  he  had  been  watching 
in  stolen  glances,  now,  to  his  infinite  dismay,  fell  slowly  on 
his  hand.  He  started,  as  if  they  had  hurt  him  ;  and  then, 
under  pretence  of  seeking  a  book,  left  the  room,  hoping  to 
find  the  discussion  at  an  end  on  his  return.  He  was  mis- 
taken ;  on  again  opening  the  door,  Madame  Rosenberg  was 


A   TRUCE.  179 

speaking  with  even  more  than  usual  volubility.  "  The  fact 
is,  Hildegarde,  you  cannot  pardon  my  being  a  smith's  daugh- 
ter ;  although  I  was  a  much  better  match  for  your  father 
than  his  first  wife,  with  all  her  fine  relations  !  What's  the 
use  of  being  a  countess  when  one  is  penniless  ?  Your  mother 
had  not  even  a  respectable  trousseau — there  is  scarcely  any- 
thing remaining  to  be  given  to  Crescenz ;  and  you  know 
yourself,  your  relations  have  been  so  unkind  that  your  father 
never  intends  to  allow  you  to  visit  them ;  and  I  am  quite 
sure  were  you  to  meet  them  in  the  street  they  would  look 
away  to  avoid  bowing  to  you.  Take  my  advice,  Hildegarde, 
forget  that  your  mother  was  a  Countess  Raimund,  remember 
that  your  father  is  plain  Franz  Rosenberg ;  and  though  your 
mother  is  a  smith's  daughter,  you  ought  not  to  forget  that 
many  of  the  comforts  of  your  home  come  from  her,  and  the 
produce  of  the  much  despised  iron  works.  Cease  to  fancy 
yourself  a  martyr  to  a  cruel  step  mother ;  I  might  be  a  great 
deal  worse  than  I  am  ;  if  you  find  me  sometimes  a  little 
strict,  it  is  only  for  your  good,  and  necessary,  too,  at  your 
age  !  As  to  your  refusal  of  the  Major,  I  shall  never  mention 
it  again — he  has  not  gone  out  of  the  family,  you  know ;  if 
he  had  not  proposed  to  Crescenz,  I  could  not  have  got  over 
the  loss  or  forgiven  you  so  easily.  You  must  endeavour  to 
correct  your  irritability  of  temper,  and  I  am  sure  in  time 
everyone  will  like  you  ;  even  Mr.  Hamilton  will  overcome 
his  dislike  to  you." 

Hildegarde's  varying  colour  showed  how  much  she  suf- 
fered during  this  speech ;  and  Hamilton  was  again  on  the 
point  of  leaving  the  room,  when  Madame  Rosenberg  called 
out:  "You  need  not  run  away  again,  we  have  talked  the 
matter  out,  and  intend  to  be  good  friends  in  future,  eh,  Hilde- 
garde ?  Come  here  and  give  me  a  kiss  to  prove  that  you 
bear  no  malice." 

Hildegarde  put  aside  her  work,  approached  her  step- 
mother, and  received  her  hearty  kiss  with  an  evident  effort 
at  cordiality. 

"  May  I  hope  to  be  included  in  this  reconciliation  ?"  asked 
Hamilton,  holding  out  his  hand,  with  a  smile. 

Hildegarde  pretended  not  to  understand  him  ;  and  again 
took  her  place  at  the  table. 

"  Hildegarde,"  said  her  step-mother,  "  you  may  give  your 
hand  to  Mr.  Hamilton — he  is  an  Englishman,  and  will  put 


180  THE  INITIALS. 

no  wrong  construction  on  the  action.  Captain  Smith  told 
me  that  shaking  hands  is  a  common  English  custom,  and 
means  nothing  more  than  kissing  a  lady's  hand  here." 

"  I  should  think  it  must  mean  a  great  deal  less,"  said 
Hamilton,  laughing,  while  Hildegarde,  after  a  moment's  con- 
sideration, placed  her  hand  in  his,  and  unreservedly  returned 
his  firm  pressure. 

"  Ah  !  here  comes  the  Major,"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg, 
as  a  slight  knock  was  heard  at  the  drawing-room  door. 
"  Come  in,  Major,  and  tell  us  what  you  have  been  doing  with 
yourself  the  whole  afternoon ;  we  expected  you  to  supper, 
and  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  Crescenz  were  to  scold  you 
a  little  for  your  unusual  absence." 

"  I  cannot  imagine  Crescenz  scolding  me,  even  if  I  deserved 
it,  which,  however,  in  this  instance,  is  not  the  case,"  said 
Major  Stultz.  "  I  have  spent  the  whole  day  in  lodging- 
hunting.  The  sooner  I  am  established  the  better,  as  Cres- 
cenz must  assist  me  to  choose  our  furniture." 

"  Why,  what  a  hurry  you  are  in,"  said  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, with  evident  satisfaction.  "  Quite  an  ardent  lover,  I 
declare.  However,  I  shall  not  be  behindhand  in  performing 
my  part.  The  workwoman  comes  to-morrow,  and  then  we 
shall  work  our  fingers  to  the  bone,  eh,  Crescenz  ?" 

Crescenz  blushed,  and  smiled  faintly. 

"  I  should  like  very  much  to  talk  over  the  different  lodg- 
ings with  you,  Crescenz,"  said  Major  Stultz,  growing  very 
red.  "  I  have  noted  them  for  that  purpose  in  my  pocket- 
book.  That  is,"  he  added,  in  a  whisper,  "  if  we  can  go  to 
another  table." 

Madame  Rosenberg  heard  the  whisper,  pushed  a  candle 
towards  him,  and  pointed  to  a  card-table  at  the  other  end  of 
the  room.  No  sooner  were  they  established  at  it  than  she 
jingled  her  keys  once  or  twice,  as  a  sort  of  tacit  excuse,  and 
then  left  the  room. 

Hamilton,  who  was,  as  usual,  sitting  near  the  stove,  pre- 
tended to  be  wholly  occupied  with  a  book  ;  his  eyes,  never- 
theless, wandered  perpetually  over  it,  towards  Hildegarde, 
who  now  began  strangely  to  interest  him.  As  the  door  closed 
on  her  mother,  her  hands  fell  listlessly  on  her  lap,  and  by 
degrees  became  clasped  round  her  knee,  while  she  gazed 
steadfastly  on  the  floor  for  several  minutes.  She  then  raised 
her  head,  and  having  looked  at  her  sister  for  some  time, 


A   TRUCE.  181 

turned  towards  Hamilton,  but  so  slowly  that  he  was  able  to 
fix  his  eyes  on  his  book,  although  he  coloured  violently  in 
doing  so ;  he  thought  she  must  perceive  his  confusion,  and 
continued  pertinaciously  to  read  the  words,  although  they 
conveyed  no  idea  whatever  to  his  mind.  When  he  had 
reached  the  end  of  the  page,  he  became  curious  to  know 
whether  or  not  she  was  still  looking  at  him,  and,  after  a 
moment's  hesitation,  he  half  turned  over  the  leaf,  and  at  the 
same  time  raised  his  eyes  without  moving  his  head  ;  he  had 
given  himself  unnecessary  trouble  to  catch  her  glance — her 
eyes  met  his  with  the  most  unconcerned  expression  possible, 
and  though  he  felt  that  he  continued  to  blush,  she  either  did 
not  observe  it,  or  attributed  it  to  the  heat  of  the  room. 

"  I  wonder  that  you  can  sit  so  near  the  stove,  and  that 
you  can  read  at  such  a  distance  from  the  candle,"  she  ob- 
served, quietly. 

"  I  am  rather  surprised  at  it  myself,"  answered  Hamilton, 
pushing  his  chair  close  to  hers,  so  as  to  form  a  tete-a-tete. 

"  Perhaps  if  I  snuff  the  candle  you  will  be  better  able  to 
read."     She  snuffed  the  candle  out. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Hamilton,  vainly  attempting  to  repress 
a  laugh ;  "  I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  be  better  able  to  read 
now.  Perhaps  you  have  done  this  on  purpose  to  make  me 
feel  that  I  ought  to  have  snuffed  the  candle  myself." 

"  Oh,  no,  indeed,"  said  Hildegarde,  joining  half  unwillingly 
in  the  laughter,  "  I  happened  to  overhear  something  which 
Crescenz  said,  and  then  I  looked  up  and " 

Crescenz  rose  from  her  chair,  looked  at  them  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then,  in  a  voice  of  ill-suppressed  emotion,  stam- 
mered out :  "  They — they — are  laughing  at  me — at  us !" 

"  No,  oh  no !"  cried  Hildegarde,  eagerly,  taking  up  the 
extinguished  candle  to  light  it.  "  No,  indeed,  Mr.  Hamilton 
is  laughing  because  I  have  snuffed  out  the  candle,  and  I  am 
laughing  I  don't  know  what  for,"  she  added  with  a  sigh.  "  I 
am  sure  I  never  felt  less  inclined  to  be  merry  in  my 
life." 

Crescenz  sat  down  again,  but  followed  her  sister  with  her 
eyes  as  she  turned  to  her  place.  Major  Stultz  in  vain  talked 
of  his  yellow  sofa  and  six  chairs,  and  asked  her  whether 
he  should  buy  a  long  or  a  round  table  for  her  drawing-room  ; 
or  proposed  purchasing  both,  if  she  wished  it.  She  heard 
him  not,  for  Hildegarde  was  again  beside  Hamilton,  and  he 


182  THE  INITIALS. 

was  leaning  on  the  arm  of  his  chair,  and  looking  at  her  as 
Crescenz  had  never  seen  him  look  at  anyone  before. 

"  Crescenz  !  you  do  not  hear  a  word  I  am  saying,"  ex- 
claimed Major  Stultz  at  length.  "Not  one  word!  If  you 
wish  it,  we  can  return  to  the  other  table,  and  then  you  can 
watch  your  sister  playing  with  the  snuffers  and  the  wick  of 
the  candle  at  your  leisure." 

Crescenz  did  not  answer. 

"  Perhaps,"  he  continued,  yielding  to  an  unconquerable 
feeling  of  jealousy,  "  perhaps  I  have  mistaken  the  object  of 
your  attention — I  do  believe  you  are  admiring  the  bold  black 
eyes  of  that  long-legged  English  boy !" 

Crescenz  blushed  deeply  and  turned  away. 

This  was  stronger  confirmation  than  he  had  expected,  and 
he  now  continued,  in  the  low  voice  of  suppressed  anger :  "  I 
have  long  suspected  something  of  this  kind,  Crescenz — your 
mother  desired  me  to  say  nothing  to  you  about  it,  as  she 
imagined  you  too  innocent  to  be  capable  of  such  perfidy — I 
cannot,  at  my  age,  expect  you  to  love  me  as  I  do  you — but  I 
did  imagine  that  in  time  I  should  gain  your  affection — if 
this  be  not  possible,  tell  me  so  at  once,  for  I  will  not  be  made 
a  fool  of  by  you  or  any  one  else !" 

"  I  don't  understand  you  !"  cried  Crescenz,  terrified  at  his 
constrained  manner  and  flushed  face,  "  I  don't  in  the  least 
understand  you !" 

"  Then  I  will  speak  to  your  mother,"  he  cried,  rising 
hastily,  and  pushing  back  his  chair  with  great  violence. 
"  She  will  understand  me  quickly  enough." 

"  Oh,  for  heaven's  sake,  don't  complain  of  me  !"  cried 
Crescenz  beseechingly,  while  the  tears  started  to  her  eyes. 
"  I  will  do  anything  you  please,  and  pay  the  greatest  atten- 
tion, if  you  will  only  promise  not  to  tell  mamma." 

"  Then  you  did  understand  me,  and  know  what  I  was 
about  to  say  to  her?"  he  asked,  frowning. 

"  Oh,  yes — you  were  going  to  tell  her  that  I  would  not 
talk  about  the  furniture,  and  that  I  looked  at  Hildegarde 
playing  with  the  snuffers — and — Mr.  Hamilton  with  his  foot 
on  the  stove,  instead  of  listening  to  you !" 

This  speech  was  made  with  consummate  cunning — a  more 
common  ingredient  in  the  composition  of  weak  characters 
than  is  generally  supposed.  Major  Stultz's  manner  had 
frightened    Crescenz — she   feared   the    anger   of   her   step- 


A    TRUCE.  183 

mother  and  the  reproaches  of  her  father,  for  she  was  essen- 
tially timid,  and  the  want  of  moral  courage  made  her  affect 
a  simplicity  which,  although  in  perfect  keeping  with  her  real 
character,  was  on  the  present  occasion  mere  acting,  as  she 
had  perfectly  understood  Major  Stultz's  meaning.  She  could 
not  have  answered  better  ;  he  was  deceived,  and  while  wiping 
the  perspiration  from  his  crimson  face,  he  begged  her  to  for- 
give his  impatience,  said  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  enter- 
taining odious  suspicions,  and  though  Crescenz  continued  to 
blush  while  he  spoke,  and  would  not  raise  her  eyes  from  the 
table,  he  was  too  generous  to  distrust  her  again,  and  attrib- 
uted her  subsequent  embarrassment  altogether  to  timidity. 
Partly  from  a  jealous  recollection  of  the  expression  of  Ham- 
ilton's eyes,  partly  from  shame  at  her  own  duplicity  and  an- 
noyance at  the  unmerited  praises  now  lavished  on  her  by  her 
lover,  Crescenz  began  to  weep  bitterly,  and  poor  Major  Stultz 
was  obliged  to  talk  a  deal  of  youthful  nonsense  in  order  to 
restore  her  equanimity,  and  induce  her  to  continue  the  inter- 
rupted conversation. 

In  the  meantime,  the  unconscious  cause  of  all  the  disturb- 
ance had  indulged  in  a  long  scrutiny  of  Hildegarde's  beau- 
tiful profile.  She  put  an  end  to  it  by  turning  to  him,  and 
saying  with  a  glance  at  his  book :  "  You  must  have  been 
reading  French  or  English — our  G-erman  letters  at  such  a 
distance  from  the  light  would  have  been  illegible." 

"  I  have  been  reading  Bulwer's  last  novel.    It  is  extremely 
resting." 

Indeed  !  I  wish  you  would  lend  it  to  me  before  you  send 
it  back  to  the  library." 

"  Is  it  possible  you  understand  English,  and  have  never 
spoken  one  word  to  me !"  exclaimed  Hamilton. 

"  I  do  not  see  anything  extraordinary  in  that,"  replied 
Hildegarde,  smiling. 

"  You  speak  French  so  remarkably  well,  that  I  know  you 
have  a  talent  for  languages.  I  dare  say  you  speak  English 
perfectly !" 

"  I  cannot  speak  a  word." 

"  You  have  not  had  enough  practice,  perhaps,  but  you 
understand  it  when  it  is  spoken." 

"  Not  a  syllable." 

"  Then  may  I  ask  you  what  you  intend  to  do  with  this 
novel  when  I  lend  it  to  you?" 


184  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Read  it  from  daybreak  until  seven  o'clock,  and  at  night 
as  long  as  my  candle  lasts,"  replied  Hildegarde,  taking  the 
book  from  him  and  looking  at  the  title  page. 

"  If  you  can  read  that  book,  and  understand  it,  you  must 
be  able  to  speak  a  little,"  observed  Hamilton. 

"  I  tell  you  I  can  neither  speak  nor  understand  English 
when  it  is  spoken,  and  yet  I  can  read  this  novel,  if  you  will 
lend  it  to  me,  quite  as  well  as  if  it  were  French  or  German." 

"You  have  had  an  odd  kind  of  master !" 

"  I  have  had  no  master  at  all — mamma  thought  English 
an  unnecessary  study,  though  I  should  have  greatly  preferred 
it  to  music.  The  master  too  was  expensive,  so  I  was  obliged 
to  give  up  all  hope  of  instruction ;  but  I  had  heard  of  some 
person  who  had  learned  to  read  and  understand  a  language 
perfectly  without  being  able  to  pronounce  a  word,  and  who 
found  it  very  easy,  when  chance  gave  him  an  opportanity  to 
learn  the  pronunciation  afterwards.  I  begged  papa  to  buy 
me  a  grammar  and  dictionary,  borrowed  all  the  English 
books  I  could  get  from  my  school-fellows,  learned  them 
almost  by  heart  from  having  read  them  so  often  ;  and  when 

the  Baroness  Z lent  me  some  English  novels  at  Seon,  I 

scarcely  missed  my  dictionary,  which  I  had  left  in  Munich." 

"What  extraordinary  perseverance!"  exclaimed  Hamil- 
ton, with  undisguised  admiration. 

"  Mamma  would  call  it  obstinacy,"  said  Hildegarde  quickly. 
"  Nothing  would  induce  me  to  tell  her  that  I  had  dared  to 
learn  English,  after  she  had  refused  to  let  me  take  lessons." 

"  There  is  a  great  difference  between  obstinacy  and  perse- 
verance," said  Hamilton. 

"  The  difference  is  sometimes  difficult  to  define — my  step- 
mother says  I  am  obstinate  !" 

"  I  really  do  think  your  organ  of  firmness  must  be  toler- 
ably well  developed,"  said  Hamilton,  laughingly  placing  his 
hand  on  the  top  of  her  head. 

Hildegarde  coloured,  and  hastily  pushed  back  her  chair — 
he  saw  she  did  not  understand  him,  but  he  was  too  lazy  to 
explain.  The  thought  passed  quickly  through  his  mind, 
that  it  was  odd  his  not  as  yet  having  met  a  single  person 
who  understood  or  was  interested  about  phrenology  in  Ger- 
many— the  country  of  Gall  and  Spurzheim  ! — while  in  Eng- 
land most  people  had  read  Combe's  works,  attended  lectures 
on,  or  had  at  least  heard  phrenology  spoken  of  sufficiently  to 


A   TRUCE.  185 

understand  what  he  had  just  said.  "  You  can  keep  the  book  if 
you  wish  it,"  he  observed,  in  order  to  renew  the  conversation. 

"  But  you  have  not  quite  read  it,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  and 
I  can  imagine  nothing  more  disagreeable  than  resigning  a 
novel  before  one  knows  how  it  ends.  Perhaps  other  people 
do  not  feel  the  same  degree  of  interest  that  I  do,  but " 

"  I  have  often  sat  up  until  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  to 
read  an  interesting  novel,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  It  must  be  very  pleasant  to  have  a  light  as  long  as  one 
pleases  at  night !  Mamma  is  quite  surprised  when  I  ask  for 
a  candle  oftener  than  every  three  days,  and  then  she  always 
observes  that  sitting  up  at  night  is  very  injurious  to  the 
health  and  eyes,  and  I  get  nothing  but  little  ends  of  candle 
for  a  fortnight  afterwards." 

"  I  will  give  you  as  many  candles  as  you  can  burn,"  said 
Hamilton,  laughing. 

"  That  was  not  what  I  meant,"  said  Hildegarde  in  great 
confusion.  "  I  dare  say  mamma  is  right.  For  in  summer, 
though  I  only  read  in  bed  from  daylight  until  six  o'clock,  I 
have  often  felt  terribly  fatigued  during  the  day  afterwards 
— I  heard  mamma  tell  papa,  that  if  you  were  her  son,  she 
would  go  into  your  room  every  night  at  ten  o'clock,  and  put 
out  your  candles." 

"  I  do  not  exactly  wish  her  to  be  my  mother,  for  the  sake 
of  having  a  living  extinguisher,  which  I  should  consider 
rather  a  bore  than  otherwise,"  said  Hamilton,  "  but  if  she 
were  my  mother,  you  would  of  course  be  my  sister,  and  I 
should  have  no  objection  to  that  relationship." 

"  Have  you  a  sister  ?"  asked  Hildegarde,  abruptly. 

"  Yes,  an  only  sister,  and  I  like  her  better  than  all  my 
brothers  put  together." 

"  And  do  you  not  quarrel  with  her?" 

"  Never.  She  is  my  most  intimate  friend  when  I  am  at 
home,  my  principal  correspondent  when  I  am  abroad.  She 
is  the  most  amiable,  the  most  excellent  of  human  beings  !" 

"Older?  much  older  than  you?"  asked  Hildegarde,  with 
some  appearance  of  interest. 

"  Only  a  year  or  two,"  replied  Hamilton.  "  We  learned 
French  as  children  together,  and  afterwards  Italian  and 
German.  You  will  take  her  place  to-morrow  or  the  day 
after,  when  we  begin  our  studies,  and  if  you  wish  to  learn  to 
speak  English,  I  am  quite  willing  to  assist  you." 


186  THE  INITIALS. 

H  Oh,  delightful !"  cried  Hildegarde,  unconsciously  mov- 
ing her  chair  quite  close  to  his,  and  leaning  her  hand 
confidentially  on  the  arm  of  it ;  "  delightful !  that  is  ex- 
actly what  I  have  long  wished  for ;  but,"  she  added  hesi- 
tatingly, "  but  I  fear  you  will  expect  me  to — to — that  is, 
not  to " 

"What?"  asked  Hamilton,  with  a  smile. 

"  Not  to  say  what  I  think  ;  or — or  quarrel  in  future." 

"  I  made  the  offer  unconditionally  ;  we  can  fight  our  battles 
all  the  same,  whenever  you  feel  disposed." 

"  If  that  be  the  case,"  said  Hildegarde,  apparently  much 
relieved,  "  I  accept  your  offer,  thankfully,  and  I  hope  I  shall 
not  give  you  much  trouble." 

"  Suppose  you  take  your  first  lesson  now,"  said  Hamilton. 
"  As  you  merely  require  the  pronunciation,  let  us  begin  with 
this  book."  He  laid  it  before  her  as  he  spoke,  and  they  both 
turned  towards  the  table.  Hildegarde  began  at  once  to  read, 
but  with  the  most  unintelligible  foreign  accent  he  had  ever 
heard.  He  used  his  utmost  effort  to  suppress  his  laughter, 
and  did  not  venture  to  correct  a  single  word.  At  the  end 
of  the  page  she  looked  up  rather  surprised,  and  encountered 
Hamilton's  eyes  brilliant  with  suppressed  mirth,  while  every 
other  feature  of  his  face  was  drawn  into  a  forced  seriousness 
of  expression,  forming  altogether  so  extraordinary  a  distor- 
tion of  countenance  that  she  threw  herself  back  in  her  chair 
and  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter. 

"  Why  don't  you  laugh  out,  if  you  feel  inclined  ?"  she 
asked,  as  Hamilton  half  covered  his  face  with  his  pocket- 
handkerchief. 

"  I  really  was  afraid  of  offending  you,"  he  replied. 

"  Oh  !  you  never  can  offend  me  by  laughing  openly ;  it  is 
only  by  speaking  ironically  or  sneering  that  you  can  annoy 
me,  and  make  me  feel  almost  inclined  at  times  to  give  you  a 
box  on  the  ear." 

"  I  give  you  leave  to  do  so  whenever  you  please,"  said 
Hamilton  ;  "  but  you  will  incur  a  penalty  of  which  I  shall 
most  certainly  take  advantage." 

"  And  what  may  that  be?" 

"  If  my  lips  may  not  explain  otherwise  than  by  words, 
they  decline  the  office." 

Hildegarde  bent  her  face  over  her  book,  shaded  her  eyes, 
and  remained  silent. 


A  NEW  WAY  TO  LEARN  GERMAN.  187 

"  Go  on,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  now  that  you  have  given  me 
leave  to  laugh  I  have  lost  all  inclination." 

Hildegarde  continued  to  read,  looking  up,  however,  at  the 
end  of  every  sentence,  and  asking  for  the  necessary  correc- 
tions. 

When  Major  Stultz  stood  up  to  take  leave,  he  put  an  end 
to  the  first  of  the  English  lessons,  which  were,  however,  con- 
tinued with  unfailing  regularity  every  day  from  that  time 
forward.  A  young  medical  student,  recommended  alike  for 
his  talent  and  poverty,  was  engaged  to  give  German  lessons, 
and  the  drawing-room  being  found  too  subject  to  interrup- 
tions, Hamilton's  sitting-room  was  converted  into  a  study. 
The  youthful  preceptor  seemed  to  enjoy  his  pupil's  society, 
and  often  remained  long  to  discuss  literary  and  philosophical 
subjects  with  Hamilton,  and  not  unfrequently  to  smoke  a 
cigar,  Hildegarde  having  had  the  complaisance  to  profess  to 
like  the  smell  of  tobacco  when  it  was  good. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A   NEW   WAY   TO   LEARN    GERMAN. 

One  day  Madame  Berger  proposed  spending  the  afternoon 
with  the  Rosenbergs,  as  her  husband  was  to  be  absent  until 
late  in  the  evening :  the  offer  was  of  course  accepted,  and 
she  was  received  by  Crescenz  with  delight  and  conducted  to 
her  room.  After  removing  her  bonnet  and  carefully  arrang- 
ing her  hair  and  dress,  Madame  Berger  repaired  to  the 
drawing-room,  seemed  exceedingly  surprised  to  find  it  unoc- 
cupied, and  having  opened  the  door  of  the  adjoining  bed- 
room and  finding  it  equally  deserted,  she  tapped  Crescenz 
playfully  on  the  arm,  exclaiming,  "  Well,  my  dear  child,  what 
have  you  done  with  your  Englishman  ?" 

"  Nothing,"  replied  Crescenz  despondingly.  "  I  begin  to 
think  you  were  right,  Lina  ;  he  certainly  admires  Hildegarde, 
and  she  now  scarcely  ever  quarrels  with  him,  and  has  even 
begun  to  ask  his  opinion  on  different  subjects.  They  do 
nothing  but  read  English  and  German  together,  and  talk  of 
their  books  until  it  is  quite  tiresome.     Yesterday  evening, 


188  THE  INITIALS, 

when  they  were  both  discussing  Faust  and  Mephistopheles, 
which  I  remember  papa  once  said  few  people  could  altogether 
understand,  I  could  not  help  reminding  them  of  Schiller's 
Ballad  of  the  Glove,  about  which  they  had  once  quarrelled 
so  desperately  ;  and  can  you  believe  it  ?  they  both  began  to 
laugh ;  but  I  saw  that  Hildegarde  grew  red,  and  I  am  sure 
she  found  it  difficult  not  to  fight  the  battle  over  again !" 

"  My  dear  Crescenz,  you  must  take  my  advice,  and  put 
this  Englishman  quite  out  of  your  head.  As  to  his  studies, 
I  know  all  about  them,  and  I  have  heard  that  he  is  extremely 
clever  and  possessed  of  extraordinary  information  for  his 
age ;  he  can  talk  of  history,  politics,  commerce  and  all  those 
sort  of  things,  like  a  professor !  I  can  set  your  mind  quite 
at  ease  with  respect  to  Hildegarde ;  her  whole  mind  is  bent 
upon  profiting  as  much  as  possible  by  the  instruction  which 
she  is  receiving,  and  if  your  Englishman  has  any  fancy  for 
her,  she  is  as  yet  quite  unconscious  of  it.  Heaven  help  him  ! 
when  she  finds  it  out,  that's  all — she  will  be  a  proper  tyrant ! 
For  so  far,  however,  nothing  of  the  kind  has  become  appar- 
ent on  either  side,  and  I  have  repeatedly  made  the  most  par- 
ticular inquiries." 

"  From  whom  ?  How  did  you  hear  all  this  ?  I  don't 
understand " 

"  Why,  my  dear  creature,  who  of  all  persons  in  the  world 
do  you  think  has  been  engaged  as  teacher  ?  Theodor ! 
Theodor  Biedermann  !  my  Theodor  !  he  has  told  me  that  the 
hours  he  spends  here  are  his  greatest  recreation,  that  Mr. 
Hamilton  is  the  most  noble,  charming,  intellectual  person  in 
the  world,  and  that  he  already  feels  a  friendship  for  him 
which  can  only  end  with  his  life." 

"  And  so  Mr.  Biedermann  is  Theodor,"  said  Crescenz ;  "  I 
should  never  have  thought  it." 

"  Of  course  not,  as  I  never  spoke  of  him,  excepting  by 
his  Christian  name ;  you  could  not  know  him  by  inspira- 
tion !" 

"  No — but  he  is  not  at  all  what  I  fancied." 

"  And  pray  what  did  you  fancy  him  ?" 

"  Indeed,  I  don't  exactly  know,  but  as  you  said  he  wrote 
beautiful  verses  and  sang  to  the  guitar,  I  thought  he  must 
look  like  a  poet,  a  troubadour,  or  something  of  that  sort." 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha !  what  a  child  you  are !"  cried  Madame 
Berger    superciliously,   but   at   the    same    time    colouring 


A  NEW  WAY  TO  LEARN  GERMAN.  189 

slightly.  "  What  a  complete  child  !  and  pray,  my  dear,  can 
you  inform  me  how  a  poet  or  troubadour  ought  to  look?" 

"  Not  in  the  least  like  Mr.  Biedermann,"  cried  Crescenz, 
apparently  roused  to  something  like  anger  by  her  friend's 
manner.  "  Not  in  the  least  like  Mr.  Biedermann,  who  is 
just  the  most  commonplace  of  commonplace  students,  with 
his  open  shirt-collar  and  long  Henri-quatre  beard,  and  his 
light  hair  and  eyes,  and  red  face  !  and " 

"  Stop — stop — my  dear,  I  understand  you  now — Theodor 
is  not  tall  enough  to  please  you — he  ought  to  have  dark  hair, 
black  eyes,  long  eyelashes,  and  a  pale  complexion,  all  very 
interesting  no  doubt,  but  people  answering  to  this  description 
cannot  always  write  verses,  or  sing  to  the  guitar ;  and  I  can 
tell  you  that  Mr.  Hamilton  can  neither  do  one  nor  the  other. 
Your  sentimental  love  and  admiration  are  all  thrown  away 
on  him,  Cressy ;  he  does  not  think  of  you,  and  the  sooner 
you  put  him  out  of  your  little  head  the  better." 

"  You  are  unkind,  Lina  !" 

"  And  you  still  more  so,  Crescenz,  to  disparage  poor  Theo- 
dor so  unnecessarily." 

"  But  he  is  nothing  to  you  now  ?" 

"  Oh,  of  course  not — and  still  I  must  always  have  a  very 
sincere  regard  for  him — he,  poor  soul,  is  as  desperate  about 
me  as  ever !  Heigho  !  I  must  confess,  I  half  feared  he 
would  waver  in  his  allegiance  when  I  heard  that  he  came 
here  every  day.     Men  are  so  fickle !" 

"  Why,  surely,  you  did  not  think  that  I " 

"  Oh,  not  at  all,  my  dear — you  are  engaged,  you  know,  so 
I  never  thought  of  you,  but  Hildegarde " 

"  I  can  tell  you,  Hildegarde  would  never  think  of  him" 
cried  Crescenz,  triumphantly. 

"  Nor  he  of  her,  I  assure  you,"  said  Madame  Berger ;  "  he 
will  scarcely  allow  her  to  be  handsome  !" 

"  Well,  to  be  sure  !"  said  Crescenz.  "  That  does  surprise 
me.  I  never  heard  of  anyone  who  did  not  think  Hildegarde 
handsome  !" 

"  Beauty,  my  dear,  is  a  matter  of  taste.  Theodor  does 
not  deny  her  having  regular  features,  but  it  is  exactly  that 
which  he  cannot  admire  ;  he  says  there  is  something  statue- 
like in  her  whole  appearance,  a  certain  proud  expression  in 
the  drawn-down  corners  of  her  mouth — in  short,  he  said  she 
was  a  person  a  man  could  admire,  but  never  love.     There 


190  THE  INITIALS. 

is  a  great  difference,  as  you  will  understand  a  few  years 
hence." 

"  I  should  like  to  know,"  said  Crescenz,  somewhat  impa- 
tiently, "  I  should  like  to  know  if  T  shall  be  as  much  changed 
by  marriage  as  you  are,  Lina  !  I  am  sure  I  hope  not ;  for, 
instead  of  springing  about  or  talking  good-humouredly  as 
you  used  to,  you  are  always  lecturing  and  calling  me  child, 
which,  I  must  say,  is  very  disagreeable.  I  shall  soon  be 
sixteen  years  old,  and  married  too ;  and  I  won't  be  called 
child  any  longer." 

"  I  vow,  Cressy,  you  have  taken  a  lesson  from  your  sister, 
and  are  working  yourself  into  a  passion.  The  Doctor  says 
child  to  me  very  often,  and  1  am  not  at  all  offended ;  but 
instead  of  quarrelling,  you  ought  to  try  and  amuse  me,  as  I 
am  your  guest  to-day.  Where  are  Hildegarde  and  Mr. 
Hamilton?" 

"  They  are  studying  German  with  Mr.  Biedermann." 

"  I  know  that  already  ;  but  where  are  they  ?" 

"  In  Mr.  Hamilton's  room." 

"  Indeed  !     Oh,  then,  we  may  go  there  too,  I  suppose  ?" 

"  Better  not — they  left  this  room  on  account  of  the  inter- 
ruptions ;  and  mamma  has  desired  me  not  to  go  there." 

"  Very  proper  as  a  general  rule ;  but  when  I  am  here  to 
chaperon  you,  the  case  is  different. 

"  I  don't  think  I  ought  to  go,"  said  Crescenz,  drawing  back. 

"  Pshaw  !  nonsense  !  When  Hildegarde  is  there,  there  can 
be  no  impropriety  for  us !"  and  as  she  spoke  she  drew  the 
only  half-reluctant  Crescenz  after  her  down  the  passage. 

"  Are  not  the  large  rooms  at  the  end  his  ?"  asked  Madame 
Berger. 

"  Yes  ;  but  indeed  it  is  not  right  to  interrupt  them  ;  I  am 
sure  mamma  will  be  angry." 

"  Tell  her  I  insisted  on  seeing  Theodor,"  replied  Madame 
Berger,  as  she  knocked  loudly  at  the  door,  but  received  no 
permission  to  enter. 

"I  told  you  they  were  too  busy  to  receive  visitors,"  said 
Crescenz. 

"  What  an  odd  noise  they  make !"  cried  Madame  Berger, 
listening  at  the  door  before  she  again  knocked,  "  what  a 
very  odd  noise !"  Her  curiosity  was  excited,  and  without 
waiting  for  an  answer  to  her  second  summons,  she  opened 
the  door  and  discovered  Hamilton  and  his  German  master 


A   NEW  WAV  TO  LEARN  GERMAN.  191 

completely  equipped  with  foils  and  visors,  fencing  most  en- 
ergetically. Chairs  and  tables  were  heaped  up  in  a  corner, 
and  so  well  matched  and  eager  were  the  combatants  that 
they  long  remained  unconscious  of  the  presence  of  spectators. 

"  A  new  way  to  learn  German  !"  said  Madame  Berger  to 
Hildegarde,  who  was  sitting  at  the  window  reading. 

"  Our  lesson  is  long  ended,"  she  replied,  closing  her 
book. 

"  Then  pray  why  did  you  not  come  to  the  drawing-room  ?" 
asked  Madame  Berger. 

"  Because  it  is  quieter  here,' '  replied  Hildegarde. 

"  Quieter !  Do  you  call  this  quiet  ?  I  could  not  read  a 
word  if  I  heard  the  clashing  of  swords." 

"  They  are  only  foils  ;  and  I  have  got  used  to  the  sound — 
boxing  is  quieter ;  but  they  are  not  well  matched,  I  believe, 
as  Mr.  Biedermann  is  only  a  beginner." 

"  Why,  Theodor,  is  it  possible  you  are  learning  to  box  like 
an  Englishman  ?  I  should  like  of  all  things  to  know  what  it 
is  like.     Pray  do  box  a  little  for  me." 

"  No,  thank  you  ;  I  do  not  appear  to  advantage.  In  fen- 
cing we  are  well-matched,"  he  said,  playing  with  the  foil  as 
he  looked  towards  Hamilton  for  confirmation ;  "  but  you 
must  not  forget  that  you  have  promised  to  come  to  my  room 
some  day  and  try  how  you  can  manage  a  sabre." 

"  Your  horse  is  saddled,  sir,"  cried  Hans,  in  a  loud  voice, 
at  the  door. 

"  Well,  come  in,"  cried  Hamilton,  "  and  put  the  chairs 
and  tables  in  their  places ;  and,  next  time,  when  you  see  I 
have  visitors,  say  nothing  about  the  horse." 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir,  I  thought  only  our  young  ladies  were  in 
the  room." 

"  Oh,  promise  to  ride  up  and  down  the  street  to  show 
your  horse  to  us,"  cried  Madame  Berger,  "  I  am  so  fond  of 
seeing  horses.  Come,  Crescenz,  let  us  look  out  of  the  win- 
dow— and  you  may  come  too,"  she  added  graciously  to  Theo- 
dor as  she  left  the  room. 

When  Hamilton  was  about  to  mount,  he  looked  up  to- 
wards the  house,  but  saw  so  many  heads  looking  out  of  so 
many  windows  that  he  desired  Hans  to  parade  the  horse  for 
him.  It  was  in  vain  Madame  Berger  opened  the  window 
and  called  out  to  him — he  stood  with  his  arms  folded,  ad- 
miring the  animal  himself  while  it  was  being  put  through  all 


192  THE  INITIALS. 

its  paces,  and  then  quietly  mounting,  rode  very  slowly  from 
the  door. 

"  Why,  Theodor  you  told  me  he  was  a  famous  rider,"  cried 
Madame  Berger,  with  evident  disappointment. 

"  And  so  he  is ;  but  he  does  not  like  to  show  off,  it  seems." 

"  It  would  have  been  a  vast  deal  civiller  if  he  had  stayed 
at  home  to  amuse  us  to-day.  It  is  going  to  rain,  too,  and  I 
am  sure  he  will  be  wet  through  and  through — it  is  a  com- 
fort to  think  he  deserves  it." 

"  He  does  not  mind  being  wet,"  said  Crescenz,  stretching 
her  head  as  far  as  possible  out  of  the  window ;  "  he  some- 
times goes  out  when  it  is  actually  raining  —Ah  !"  she  ex- 
claimed, faintly  screaming,  while  she  drew  back  and  cov- 
ered her  eyes  with  her  hand,  "  his  horse  started  frightfully 
at  the  corner  of  the  street — if  he  had  been  thrown  on  the 
pavement !" 

"  Let  me  see,"  cried  Madame  Berger,  pushing  past  her 
to  take  her  place — "  how  provoking,  he  has  turned  the  cor- 
ner !  But  Cressy,  I  say,  come  here ;"  and  she  whispered  a 
few  words,  and  pointed  downwards  towards  the  street,  where 
the  same  officer  who  had  been  addressed  by  Zedwitz  again 
stood  near  the  brazier's  shop,  looking  towards  the  window 
where  they  were  assembled. 

"  I  wonder  who  he  is  !"  exclaimed  Madame  Berger,  return- 
ing his  gaze  with  a  steadiness  almost  amounting  to  effrontery. 
"  Do  you  know  that  officer,  Theodor  ?" 

"  No ;  but  he  will  know  you  again,"  he  replied,  laughing. 

"  I  can  pardon  his  looking  towards  this  window,"  said 
Madame  Berger,  intending  to  be  ingenuous,  while  her  man- 
ner betrayed  considerable  levity,  "  I  can  pardon  his  looking 
towards  this  window,  for  I  dare  say  he  has  not  often  seen 
three  such  pretty  faces  as  ours  together,"  and  she  attempted 
to  draw  Hildegarde  towards  her  as  she  spoke. 

"  I  don't  choose  to  be  exhibited,"  cried  Hildegarde,  draw- 
ing back.  The  next  moment  she  began  to  laugh,  while  she 
added,  "  I  can  inform  you,  however,  that  you  are  quite  mis- 
taken if  you  think  this  window  parade  be  intended  for  you. 
I  met  that  officer  yesterday  evening  on  the  stairs  when  I  was 
coming  from  the  cellar  with  Walburg,  and  she  told  me  he  is 
to  be  married  in  spring  to  the  daughter  of  the  new  lodger— 
so  you  may  be  sure  he  is  waiting  to  see  Mademoiselle  de 
Hoffmann,  and  not  thinking  of  either  you  or  Crescenz." 


A   NEW  WAT  TO  LEARN  GERMAN  193 

"I  am  not  quite  so  sure  of  that,"  said  Madame  Berger; 
"  for  you  remember,  Crescenz,  we  saw  him  standing  there 
more  than  a  fortnight  ago,  and  before  these  Hoffmanns  were 
in  the  house." 

"  Very  true,"  said  Crescenz,  "  but  he  is  certainly  looking 
at  the  windows  on  the  first  floor  now." 

"  And  he  certainly  icas  looking  up  here  when  I  first  ob- 
served him,"  persisted  Madame  Berger.  "  Pray  what  sort 
of  a  person  is  this  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann  ?  Has  any- 
one seen  her  ?" 

"  Walburg  has  seen  her,"  replied  Crescenz,  "  and  she  says 
she  is  not  at  all  pretty ;  but  the  servants  say  she  is  very 
amiable  and  an  excellent  housekeeper." 

"  Probably  not  young,"  observed  Madame  Berger,  arrang- 
ing her  ringlets  at  the  glass — "  probably  not  young,  if  she 
be  amiable  and  a  good  housekeeper ;  these  qualities  belong 
to  riper  years." 

"  She  is  not  very  young,  I  believe." 

"  I  thought  as  much,"  cried  Madame  Berger,  laughing, 
"  and  he  is  certainly  not  thirty — do  you  think  he  is?" 

"  He  seems  to  be  young,"  said  Crescenz,  peeping  carefully 
from  behind  the  muslin  curtain. 

"  Crescenz,  come  away  from  the  window,"  said  Hildegarde, 
authoritatively ;  "  it  is  not  right  to  watch  anybody  in  that 
way." 

"  Well,  Cressy,  I  can  now  congratulate  you  from  my  heart 
on  your  approaching  marriage,"  said  Madame  Berger,  mali- 
ciously, "  for  I  can  assure  you  Major  Stultz  will  not  require 
half  so  much  obedience  from  you  as  Hildegarde ;  your  mar- 
riage will  be  quite  a  relief  from  thraldom." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Crescenz,  colouring.  "  Hildegarde 
certainly  does  treat  me  as  if  I  were  a  child,"  and  she  walked 
resolutely  towards  the  window  as  she  spoke. 

"  You  are  now  acting  like  a  child,  and  a  silly  child  into 
the  bargain,"  cried  Hildegarde,  with  evident  annoyance,  as 
she  left  the  room. 

"Dreadful  temper!"  said  Madame  Berger,  shrugging  her 
shoulders  ;  "  if  she  were  my  sister,  I  should  soon  teach  her 
to  pay  me  proper  respect ;  but  look  here,  Crescenz,  the  officer 
has  bowed  to  the  first  floor,  and  is  now  crossing  the  street,  as 
if  he  were  coming  into  the  house  ;  I  begin  to  think  Hilde- 
garde was  right." 

I        n  17 


194  THE  INITIALS. 

"  I  am  sure  she  was  right,  and  I  ought  not  to  have  looked 
out  of  the  window — I  will  go  at  once  and  tell  her  so." 

"  Before  you  go,  let  nie  give  you  a  piece  of  advice.  You 
have  spoiled  your  sister,  and  taught  her  to  make  a  slave  of 
you — don't  give  your  husband  such  bad  habits.  Above  all 
things — never  confess  that  you  have  been  in  the  wrong,  and 
make  him  on  all  occasions  beg  your  pardon." 

11  But  when  I  feel  that  I  have  done  wrong,  I  ought  at  least 
to  confess  it." 

"  No  such  thing  •,  you  must  always  insist  on  being  right — 
yield  once,  and  you  must  yield  ever  after.  I  have  had  some 
desperate  battles  I  assure  you,  but  the  Doctor  has  been 
obliged  to  give  way,  and  we  now  get  on  charmingly  together. 
Whenever  I  have  been  giddy  or  extravagant,  he  must  beg  my 
pardon,  ha,  ha,  ha  !" 

"  But,  Lina,  how  can  that  be  ?  for  the  Doctor  is  a  very  sen- 
sible man,  and  were  he  to  act  as  you  say,  he  must  be  a  fool  !" 

"  You  do  not  understand  me,  child.  You  see,  when  I  do 
anything  he  disapproves,  he  remonstrates  or  lectures,  and 
then  I  sulk  until  he  begs  my  pardon  for  having  remonstrated 
or  lectured.  My  offence  in  the  meantime  is  forgotten.  Do 
you  understand?" 

"  Partly,"  said  Crescenz,  thoughtfully. 

"  Do  not  listen  to  such  advice,  mademoiselle,"  said  Mr. 
Biedermann.     "  I  am  sure  Madame  Berger  is  joking." 

"  I  am  not  joking,"  said  Madame  Berger,  tossing  back  her 
head. 

"  Then  you  have  taught  your  husband  to  treat  you  as  if 
you  were  either  a  simpleton  or  a  spoiled  child,  to  whom  he 
yields  for  the  sake  of  peace,  while  he  loses  all  respect  for 
your  understanding." 

"  Theodor,"  said  Madame  Berger,  with  a  slightly  scornful 
laugh,  "  I  advise  you  to  keep  your  opinions  on  such  subjects 
in  future  until  you  are  asked  for  them.  You  are  talking  of 
what  you  do  not  understand.  Crescenz  is  about  to  marry  a 
man  thirty  years  older  than  herself — I  have  done  the  same, 
and  speak  from  experience.  Had  I  married  a  man  of  my 
own  age,  the  case  and  my  advice  would  have  been  different. 
For  instance,  had  I  married  you,  I  should  have  been  quite  a 
different  person." 

"  I  don't  think  you  would,  Caroline — nothing  would  have 
made  you  other  than  you  are." 


THE   OCTOBER  FETE.  195 

"  Am  I  not  very  charming  as  I  am  ?" 

"  Charming  ?  Yes,  with  all  your  levity — but  too  charm- 
ing," said  Mr.  Biederruaun,  preparing  to  leave  the  room. 

"  Well,  for  that  acknowledgment  I  am  inclined  to  pardon 
your  former  impertinence ;  but  never  while  you  live  attempt 
a  repetition  of  the  offence." 

"  I  thought  our  former  intimacy  gave  me  a  sort  of  right 
to " 

"  Oar  former  intimacy,"  said  Madame  Berger,  laughing, 
"  gives  you  no  right  excepting  that  of  being  my  very  obe- 
dient humble  servant." 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE     OCTOBER     FETE,     AND     A     LESSON     ON     PROPRIETY    OP 
CONDUCT. 

It  was  the  first  Sunday  in  October,  and  Major  Stultz  had 
just  driven  up  to  the  door  in  a  carriage,  which  he  had  hired 
to  take  his  betrothed  and  her  family  to  the  October  fete.  In 
order  to  increase  Crescenz's  pleasure,  he  had  promised  to  take 
the  three  boys  also,  and  though  Mr.  Rosenberg  had  declared 
his  intention  to  walk,  their  party  was  still  uncomfortably 
large.  Fritz  in  his  cadet  uniform  mounted  the  box,  fully 
convinced  that  the  equipage  had  considerably  gained  in 
appearance  by  his  presence,  and  the  others  were  endeavour- 
ing to  wedge  in  the  children  between  them,  when  a  servant 
came  running  to  the  door,  bearing  a  message  from  Madame 
de  Hoffmann,  who  offered  a  seat  in  her  carriage  to  one  of  the 
young  ladies,  if  they  did  not  mind  going  a  little  later. 

"  Oh,  dear,"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg, "  now  really  that's 
very  civil — before  I  have  returned  her  visit,  too !  Hilde- 
garde,  you  will  accept  that  offer,  of  course ;  and  to  tell  the 
truth,  I  am  glad  you  do  not  leave  home  so  soon  ;  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton has  not  returned  from  church,  and  I  wish  you  to  see  that 
he  gets  his  dinner  comfortably  served.  I  know  you  don't 
mind  being  an  hour  or  so  later,  and  the  races  don't  begin 
until  three  o'clock." 

Hildegarde  descended  from  the  carriage,  seemingly  satis- 


196  THE  INITIALS. 

fied  with  the  arrangement,  and  the  others  drove  off.  She 
stopped  on  her  way  upstairs  at  the  first  floor,  and  requested 
to  see  the  Hoffmanns  in  order  to  thank  them,  and  ask  when 
they  intended  to  leave.  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann  came  to 
meet  her,  and  took  her  hand  eagerly,  while  she  exclaimed  : 
"  Ah,  I  knew  you  would  be  the  one  to  go  with  us.  Your 
sister,  of  course,  could  not  leave  Major  Stultz — but  surely 
you  will  come  in  and  stay  here  until  we  are  ready  to  go — in 
fact  we  are  ready  now,  and  I  am  only  waiting  for  my  bride- 
gruom,  who  is  to  accompany  us — I  do  not  know  if  you  are 
aware  that  I,  like  your  sister,  am  a  bride." 

"  I  have  heard  so,"  replied  Hildegarde.  "  Mamma  intends 
to  offer  her  congratulations  in  form  to-morrow." 

"  I  don't  like  being  congratulated,"  said  Mademoiselle  de 
Hoffmann  abruptly ;  "  it  would  be  better  if  people  waited  a 
year  or  so,  until  they  knew  how  a  marriage  turned  out.  It 
is,  after  all,  an  awful  sort  of  lottery  for  a  woman,  and  if  she 

draw  a  blank but  pray,  come  into  the  drawing-room  ;  this 

is  no  place  to  discuss  such  subjects." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  I  have  some  arrangements  to 
make  at  home,  but  I  shall  return  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  Pray  do,"  said  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann.  "  I  may  as 
well  tell  you  that  I  have  taken  such  a  fancy  to  you,  that  I 
cannot  help  hoping  that  we  are  destined  to  be  very  good 
friends." 

"  I  hope  so  too,"  replied  Hildegarde  with  unusual  warmth 
of  manner,  and  laughing  gayly.  Hamilton  passed  the  door 
at  the  moment,  on  his  return  from  church,  and  seemed  not 
a  little  surprised  to  find  her  bestowing  so  much  friendliness 
on  a  person  he  had  supposed  nearly  a  stranger.  Hildegarde 
followed  him  up  the  stairs,  and  on  entering  their  apartments, 
took  off  her  bonnet,  and  prepared  to  obey  her  mother's  direc- 
tions by  bringing  in  his  dinner  herself.  Hamilton  had 
already  become  accustomed  to  these  attentions,  and  therefore 
her  appearance — with  a  napkin  pinned  on  her  dress  in  the 
form  of  an  apron,  and  carrying  a  little  tureen  of  soup — by 
no  means  astonished  him.  Having  placed  it  on  the  table, 
she  walked  to  the  window,  took  up  a  book,  and  began  to  read. 

"  Have  you  all  dined?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Yes,  and  all  are  gone  too,"  replied  Hildegarde. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  say  that  you  must  remain  at  home  ?" 
asked  Hamilton,  turning  round  quickly. 


THE  OCTOBER  F&TE.  197 

"  Oh,  no,  I  am  to  go  with  the  Hoffmanns." 
"  How  did  you  happen  to  make  that  arrangement?" 
Hildegarde  came  towards  him  to  explain,  stood  for  a  mo- 
ment behind  his  chair,  then  seated  herself  at  the  table  near 
him,  and  while  performing  her  office  of  waiter,  entered  into 
an  unusually  unrestrained  conversation.  They  talked  long 
and  gayly,  Hamilton  at  length  beginning  to  think  he  would 
prefer  staying  at  home  with  her  to  going  to  the  fete,  and  was 
actually  as  much  annoyed  as  she  was  surprised,  when  the 
Hoffmanns'  servant  announced  the  carriage,  and  said  they 
were  waiting  for  her. 

The  day  was  clear  and  warm,  the  sky  cloudless,  and  of 
that  deep  blue  almost  unknown  in  England.  The  sun  shone 
brightly  on  the  groups  of  merry  pedestrians,  who  still  con- 
tinued to  pour  out  of  the  town  and  its  environs,  towards  the 
Thebesian  meadows.  Notwithstanding  the  warm  sunbeams, 
each  peasant  carried  under  his  arm  an  enormous  red  or  yel- 
low umbrella.  Many  were  furnished  with  cloaks,  and  some 
were  dressed  in  the  mountain  costume,  with  which  Hamilton 
had  become  acquainted  at  Berchtesgaden ;  but,  in  strong 
contrast  to  their  picturesque  appearance,  there  were  others 
from  the  plains,  with  their  long  coats  almost  reaching  to 
their  heels — two  large  buttons  between  their  shoulders,  as  if 
to  mark  the  waist,  and  broad-brimmed,  low-crowned  hats. 
The  cloth  of  which  these  most  ugly  garments  were  made  was 
good,  and  in  many  cases  fine.  The  hats,  too,  were  shining, 
and  decorated  with  thick  gold  tassels,  and  even  the  most 
careless  observer  could  not  fail  to  remark  the  absence  of  any 
appearance  of  poverty. 

Hamilton  rode  as  fast  as  the  crowd  would  permit,  wishing, 
considerately,  that  all  nurses  and  children  had  remained  at 
home,  and  wondering  what  business  they  could  have  at  an 
agricultural  fete  and  races.  Then  he  thought  of  Hildegarde 
— Hildegarde  as  he  had  last  seen  her,  gay  and  unrestrained, 
laughingly  giving  her  opinion  of  the  Hoffmanns,  and  relating 
with  what  self-possession  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann  had 
spoken  of  her  intended  marriage ;  and  then  she  had  taken 
the  half  of  his  bunch  of  grapes  with  a  sort  of  unconscious 
familiarity  flattering  from  its  rarity.  He  had  for  some  time 
been  aware  of  a  change  in  her  manner,  and  he  now  began  to 
hope  that  a  feeling  of  good-will  towards  himself  had  been 
the  cause;  in  this,  he  was,  however,  partly  mistaken — the. 


198  THE  INITIALS. 

reconciliation  or  explanation  with  her  step-mother  had  mostly 
effected  the  change.  She  felt  that  she  had  been  unjustly 
prejudiced  against  both,  and,  ever  ready  to  act  from  impulse, 
she  now  went  from  one  extreme  to  the  other,  and  at  once 
gave  Madame  Rosenberg  credit  for  virtues  which  she  scarcely 
possessed — blamed  herself  unnecessarily,  and  received  any 
remains  of  severity  on  the  part  of  her  step-mother,  as  a 
deserved  punishment  for  her  former  unwarrantable  dislike. 
Madame  Rosenberg  had  not  been  insensible  to  the  alteration 
which  had  taken  place — she  had  more  than  once  observed  to 
her  husband,  "  That  Hildegarde  was  really  a  warm-hearted 
girl,  and  not  nearly  so  often  in  a  passion  as  she  used  to  be. 
There  was  nothing  like  a  mother's  care  to  form  a  girl's 
character ;  she  now  understood  how  to  manage  her,  and 
expected  in  time  to  like  her  quite  as  well  as  Crescenz." 

Hamilton,  on  reaching  the  Theresian  meadow,  looked 
round  for  the  object  of  his  thoughts — in  a  crowd  of  eight  or 
ten  thousand,  persons,  the  search  was  not  immediately  suc- 
cessful. The  royal  family  had  long  been  on  the  tribune,  and 
the  King  was  distributing  the  last  prizes  as  Hamilton  arrived. 
A  movement  in  the  crowd  soon  after  commenced,  which 
denoted  preparations  for  the  races ;  Hamilton  rode  towards 
the  place  where  the  jockeys  were  assembled,  but  when  there, 
his  horse  became  suddenly  restive — he  shied,  reared,  pranced, 
leaped  forwards  and  sideways,  and  Hamilton,  had  he  not 
been  a  practised  rider,  would  have  found  it  no  easy  matter 
to  keep  his  seat.  At  length  the  animal  seemed  to  become 
aware  of  the  power  of  his  rider,  for  his  capers  ceased  by 
degrees,  and  he  merely  bent  his  head  and  tore  up  the  ground 
with  his  fore-foot.  Hamilton  was  about  to  return  to  the 
interrupted  inspection  of  the  jockeys  and  their  horses,  when 
a  voice  close  to  him  observed,  "  You  seemed  alarmed  for  the 
safety  of  your  English  friend,  mademoiselle — ask  him  if  he 
will  not  give  his  horse  to  our  servant,  and  look  at  the  races 
from  the  carriage." 

Hamilton  turned  quickly  round,  and  found  that  these 
words  had  been  addressed  by  Madame  de  Hoffmann  to  Hilde- 
garde ;  he  rode  close  up  to  the  latter,  and  said  in  a  low  voice, 
"  I  have  been  looking  for  you  in  vain  the  last  half-hour,  and 
just  as  I  had  given  up  the  search,  I  find  myself  beside  you 
— pray,  present  me  to  your  friends;  you  have  made  me 
really  wish  to  be  acquainted  with  them." 


THE  OCTOBER  FETE.  199 

Eildegarde  complied  with  his  request,  while  an  officer, 
who  was  sitting  opposite  to  her,  and  who  was  instantly  recog- 
nised by  Hamilton  as  the  admirer  of  the  candlesticks  and 
coffee-pots  in  the  brazier's  shop,  waited  for  a  moment  and 
then  said,  "  I  hope  you  mean  to  include  me ;  if  you  do  not 
choose  to  allow  me  to  come  under  the  denomination  of  friend, 
you  cannot  refuse  to  admit  my  right  to  that  of  relation,  and 
very  near  relation,  too," 

Hamilton  looked  astonished,  and  Hildegarde  coloured 
slightly  as  she  laughingly  added,  "  My  cousin,  Count  Rai- 
mund." 

Hamilton  bowed  with  apparent  indifference ;  but  all  that 
Zedwitz  had  said  of  Count  Raimund  flashed  across  his  mind  ; 
he  now  felt  convinced  that  there  was  no  doubt  of  his  gaining 
admittance  to  the  Rosenberg  family,  and  on  the  most  danger- 
ous footing  possible — as  cousin  !  He  himself  knew  from 
experience  all  the  advantages  of  this  relationship,  and  the 
unreserved  intimacy  which  it  permitted ;  and  though  he  tried 
to  convince  himself  that  Count  Raimund,  being  already  en- 
gaged to  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann,  would  have  neither  time 
nor  opportunity  to  pay  Hildegarde  extraordinary  attention,  a 
feeling  of  incipient  jealousy,  to  which,  however,  he  gave  in 
thought  the  name  of  disinterested  friendship,  took  posses- 
sion of  his  mind,  and  he  turned  with  something  more  than 
curiosity,  to  examine  this  cousin,  this  Raimund,  said  to  be  so 
dangerous.  He  was  a  slight  young  man  with  rather  regular 
features,  his  mouth  alone  remarkably  handsome,  though  his 
lips  were,  perhaps,  too  red  and  full  for  a  man,  his  eyes  light 
blue,  hair  and  moustache  remarkably  fair ;  his  complexion, 
which  varied  with  every  passing  emotion,  sometimes  almost 
pale,  sometimes  sanguine,  gave  an  appearance  of  perpetua\ 
animation  to  a  countenance  which  would  otherwise  have, 
perhaps,  failed  to  interest  at  first  sight.  He  immediately 
addressed  Hamilton,  spoke  of  England,  hunting,  horses,  races 
— of  English  customs  and  sports,  with  such  correctness  that 
Hamilton  could  not  help  exclaiming,  "  You  must  have  been 
a  long  time  in  England  to  understand  these  things  so  well !" 

"  My  information  is  altogether  acquired  from  reading," 
replied  Raimund,  smiling,  and  evidently  flattered  at  Hamil- 
ton's remark ;  either  encouraged  by  it,  or  the  approving 
smiles  of  his  companions,  he  gave  a  description  of  races  in 
different  countries,  from    the   most  ancient  to  the  present 


200  THE  INITIALS. 

day,  discovering  considerable  information,  well  applied,  but 
brought  it  forward  with  such  ill-concealed  arrogance  that 
Hamilton,  already  predisposed  to  dislike  him,  was  soon  dis- 
gusted, and  taking  advantage  of  the  first  pause  and  some 
confusion  among  the  bystanders,  he  suddenly  and  violently 
checked  his  horse,  threw  him  on  his  haunches,  and  backing 
him  out  of  the  crowd,  galloped  across  the  field.  The  races 
began,  and  although  the  horses  did  not  promise  much,  it 
was  impossible  not  to  feel  in  some  degree  interested ;  he 
crossed  the  field  several  times  at  full  speed,  and  in  doing  so 
he  passed  and  repassed  the  carriage  in  which  Hildegarde 
sat,  when  having  met  some  Englishmen  with  whom  he  was 
slightly  acquainted,  he  began  to  talk  to  them  not  very  far 
distant  from  her. 

"  My  fair  cousin  follows  with  her  eyes,  and  rather  seems 
to  admire  her  English  friend,"  said  Raimund  with  a  laugh. 
"  He  certainly  is  handsome,  but  I  never  saw  more  haughty 
manners  or  prouder  looks  in  my  life.  How  does  he  contrive 
to  get  on  with  step-mamma?" 

"  Exceedingly  well,"  answered  Hildegarde.  "  She  gives 
him  occasional  lectures  on  his  extravagant  habits,  which  he 
receives  with  the  most  perfect  good  temper ;  but  they  do 
not  seem  to  have  much  effect.  I  rather  think  his  parents 
must  be  very  rich,  although  he  never  speaks  on  the  subject, 
for  they  send  him  large  sums  of  money,  which  he  leaves  at 
his  banker's,  as  he  says,  with  the  best  intentions  possible  he 
can  find  no  opportunity  of  spending  it." 

"  It  seems  the  lectures  on  extravagance  were  scarcely  ne- 
cessary," observed  Raimund,  with  a  slight  sneer  ;  "  from  your 
account,  he  is  more  disposed  to  hoard  than  spend." 

"  And  yet  he  is  really  generous,"  cried  Hildegarde,  warmly. 
"  Mr.  Biedermann,  who  is  giving  him  lessons  in  German,  says 
that  he  has  been  munificent  to  him  ;  and  I  know  that  he 
gave  old  Hans,  only  the  other  day,  a  complete  suit  of  clothes 
for  the  winter,  to  keep  him  warm  when  he  is  sawing  wood 
in  the  yard  ;  not  to  mention  a  great  many  occurrences  in 
our  house,  where,  had  he  not  been  disposed  to  give,  he  would 
have  acted  quite  differently." 

"  You  are  eloquent  in  his  praise,"  said  Mademoiselle  de 
Hoffmann,  "  and  will  force  me  to  think  well  of  him  ;  though, 
to  tell  the  truth,  I  feel  half  inclined  to  agree  with  Oscar  in 
thinking  him  proud.     It  is  true,  I  have  only  seen  him  for  a 


THE  OCTOBER  FETE.  201 

few  minutes,  and  on  a  very  restive  horse ;  but  the  glance 
which  he  bestowed  upon  us  all  was  more  scrutinising  than 
agreeable,  and  he  certainly  did  appear  to  have  a  tolerably 
good  opinion  of  himself." 

"  I  cannot  dispute  that  point,"  replied  Hildegarde,  laugh- 
ing ;  "  but  I  wish  to  do  him  justice  when  I  can,  as  I  am  only 
by  degrees  getting  over  an  inveterate  dislike  which  I  took  to 
him  at  first  sight,  without  any  reasonable  cause." 

"  So,"  exclaimed  Raimund,  "  if  that  be  the  case,  I  am  sat- 
isfied. It  must,  however,  be  extremely  disagreeable  to  have 
such  a  Don  Magnifico  forced  into  one's  domestic  circle.  I 
wonder  your  father  did  not  rebel ;  but  of  course  he  must  do 
whatever  your  mother  chooses." 

"  Oh !  papa,  mamma,  and  Crescenz  liked  him  from  the 
first,"  said  Hildegarde.  "  I  was  the  only  person  who  quar- 
relled with  him,  because  I  imagined  that  he  was  laughing  at 
us,  or  seeking  amusement  at  our  expense,  while  he  consid- 
ered himself  far,  far  above  us.  On  a  nearer  acquaintance, 
it  is  impossible  not  to  think  him  agreeable,  clever,  and,  I 
must  say,  perfectly  unaffected." 

"  My  dear,  if  you  continue  in  this  strain,"  said  Madem- 
oiselle de  Hoffmann,  laughing  slyly,  "  you  will  force  us  to 
think  you  altogether  in  love  with  him !" 

"  By  no  means,"  observed  Raimund  ;  "  were  that  the  case,, 
she  would  be  more  reserved  in  her  praise.  I  am  rather  dis- 
posed to  think  that  this  Englishman,  by  some  unaccountable 
perversion  of  taste,  must  have  given  the  preference  to  my 
other  cousin.  Come,  confess,  Hildegarde !  As  to  his  living 
in  your  house,  and  not  taking  a  fancy  to  one  or  the  other, 
the  thing  is  absolutely  and  totally  impossible." 

"  I  believe,"  replied  Hildegarde,  "  he — he  rather  admired 
Crescenz  until  she  was  engaged  to  be  married  to  Major 
Stultz." 

"  Then  he  admires  her  still,  you  may  depend  upon  it." 

"  Perhaps  he  does ;  it  is  difficult  to  know  Crescenz,  and 
not  both  admire  and  love  her,"  replied  Hildegarde;  "but  at 
all  events  he  has  ceased  to  pay  her  any  attention,  and  does 
not  speak  more  to  her  than  to  me." 

"  You  may  be  sure  he  makes  up  for  lost  time  when  he 
sees  her  alone,"  cried  Raimund,  laughing.  "  By  Jove,  I 
envy  him  his  recent  position ;  what  capital  fun  to — to  sup- 
plant that  stout  old  major !" 


202  THE  INITIALS. 

"  He  never  thought  of  such  a  thing,"  cried  Hildegarde, 
eagerly  ;  "  he  explained  at  once  that  he  could  not  marry." 

"  Better  and  better,"  said  Raiinund,  laughing  oddly,  "  he 
seems  perfectly  to  know  what  he  is  about." 

"  I  don't  understand  you,"  began  Hildegarde,  but  Madame 
de  Hoffmann  called  her  attention  to  the  races,  and  when  they 
were  over  she  had  no  time  to  think  about  the  matter. 

Hamilton  could  scarcely  conceal  his  vexation,  on  his  re- 
turn home,  when  he  heard  that  Hildegarde  was  engaged  to 
spend  the  evening  with  the  Hoffmanns.  Mr.  Rosenberg  left 
them,  as  usual,  immediately  after  supper;  Major  Stultz  alto- 
gether monopolised  Crescenz,  Madame  Rosenberg  busied  her- 
self with  a  pack  of  cards,  which  she  shuffled,  cut,  and  spread 
out  on  the  table  before  her  with  extraordinary  interest,  while 
Hamilton,  accustomed  as  he  now  was  to  talk  or  read  with 
Hildegarde,  and  missing  her  more  than  he  liked  to  perceive, 
held  a  newspaper  in  his  hand,  and  employed  his  thoughts  in 
forming  uncomfortable  surmises  respecting  her  and  her  cousin. 

"  Very  odd,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  thoughtfully,  hold- 
ing a  card  to  her  lips ;  "  very  odd  indeed  ; — the  marriage  is 
not  in  the  cards  I" 

"  I  thought  you  were  playing  patience,"  said  Hamilton, 
looking  up. 

"  Oh,  no,  I  have  been  cutting  the  cards  for  Crescenz,"  she 
said,  in  a  low  voice ;  "  and  oddly  enough,  her  marriage  is 
not  in  them.  I  must  try  it  again,"  she  said,  gathering  up 
the  pack  and  shuffling  energetically. 

Hamilton  drew  his  chair  to  the  table,  and  watched  her  as 
she  slowly  and  thoughtfully  placed  the  cards  in  regular  rows 
before  her,  while  murmuring,  with  evident  dissatisfaction  : 
"This  is  Crescenz  and  this  is  the  Major,  but  ever  so  far 
asunder!  And  the  marriage  and  love  cards  are  all  near  him, 
while  Crescenz's  thoughts  are  occupied  about  a  present.  Oh, 
ah  !  here  is  a  letter  full  of  money  coming  to  our  house  ;  but 
I  suppose  it  will  be,  as  usual,  from  England,  and  for  you, 
Mr.  Hamilton.  You  are  laughing  at  me,  I  see  !  Perhaps 
you  don't  believe  that  I  can  tell  fortunes  ?" 

"  I  am  convinced  you  can  do  so  quite  as  well  as  anyone 
else." 

"  That  is  saying  too  much,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg. 
"  Our  washerwoman  is  very  expert ;  but  I  know  some  who 
oould  astonish  you !" 


THE  OCTOBER  FETE.  203 

u  I  like  being  astonished,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and  promise 
to  be  so  if  what  you  foretell  comes  to  pass  ;  but  then  you 
must  predict  something  more  surprising  than  that  I  should 
receive  a  letter  containing  money.  This  is  more  than  prob- 
able, as  my  father  is  very  liberal,  and  I  said  something  about 
intending  to  buy  a  sledge  this  winter  when  I  last  wrote." 

"  But  suppose  Crescenz's  marriage  should  be  broken  off — 
which  Heaven  forbid — what  would  you  say  then  ?" 

"  It  will  not  be  broken  off,  but  it  may  be  postponed.  You 
said  yourself  yesterday  that  her  trousseau  could  not  be  ready 
at  the  time  expected  ;  and  as  to  her  thoughts  being  occupied 
about  a  present,  we  all  know  that  she  is  making  a  purse  and 
cigar-case  for  Major  Stultz." 

"  Oh,  if  you  explain  everything  in  that  way,  I  need  not 
go  on,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  laughing.  "  Here,  for 
instance,  is  a  false  person  in  our  house — a  very  false  person ; 
he  is  followed,  too,  by  a  number  of  unlucky,  disagreeable 
cards  ;  now,  who  can  that  be  ?" 

"  I  hope  you  do  not  suspect  me  of  being  this  false  per- 
son?" 

"  Most  certainly  not,"  repeated  Madame  Rosenberg,  seri- 
ously. "  I  know  few  people  of  whom  I  think  so  highly ;  I 
always  liked  my  English  lodgers,  and  was  sorry  when  they 
left  me ;  but  I  feel  as  if  you  were  a  part  of  our  family. 
You  must  observe  that  I  talk  to  you  and  consult  you  about 
all  our  affairs  a  hundred  times  more  than  Major  Stultz,  who 
is  actually  about  to  become  my  son-in-law  I" 

"  I  am  exceedingly  flattered  by  your  good  opinion,"  said 
Hamilton,  "  and  am  greatly  relieved  to  find  you  do  not 
suspect  me  to  be  this  false  friend,  followed  by  ill-omened 
cards !" 

"  Set  your  mind  at  rest ;  this  person  seems  in  some  way 
related  to  our  family,  and  has  light  hair." 

"  And  you  can  see  all  this  in  these  cards !"  said  Hamilton, 
laughing. 

"  Look  here,  and  I  will  explain  it  easily,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg.     "  You  see  this  ace  is  our  house " 

"  Is  that  an  ace  ?"  said  Hamilton.  "The  German  cards 
are  as  difficult  to  learn  as  the  handwriting.  I  do  not  know 
a  single  one  of  these  cards." 

"  They  are  easily  learned.  These  are  acorns,  and  these 
bells  j  these  trifles,  and  these  hearts." 


204  THE  INITIALS. 

"  But  this  ace  of  hearts  is  double  ;  and  what  is  the  mean- 
ing of  the  basket  of  flowers  and  the  blinded  cupid?" 

"  Only  for  ornament." 

"  This,  then,  I  suppose,  is  the  king  of  hearts ;  but  where 
is  the  queen  ?" 

"  This,  I  believe,  answers  to  your  queen." 

"  What !  the  man  leaning  on  his  sword  ?" 

"  I  see  you  do  not  want  to  learn " 

"  And  yet  I  should  rather  like  to  know  what  these  acorns 
and  bells  are  intended  to  represent,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Crescenz,  come  here  and  explain  in  French,"  cried 
Madame  Rosenberg. 

Crescenz  came  most  willingly.  In  a  few  minutes  Hamilton 
imagined  he  knew  the  cards,  and  began  to  play  some  childish 
game  which  Crescenz  taught  him ;  they  played  for  six- 
kreutzer  pieces,  and,  as  he  continually  mistook  the  cards,  in 
the  course  of  half  an  hour  he  had  lost  some  florins.  Cres- 
cenz's  exclamation  of  delight  and  triumph  caused  Madame 
Rosenberg  at  last  to  look  round,  and  no  sooner  did  she  per- 
ceive how  matters  stood,  than  she  took  the  money  which 
Crescenz  had  won,  returned  it  to  Hamilton,  notwithstand- 
ing all  his  protestations  ;  and,  taking  some  red  and  white 
counters  out  of  her  work-table  drawer,  divided  them 
equally  between  them,  while  she  observed  that  they 
might  fancy  them  florins  if  they  wished, — "it  would  be 
much  more  proper  for  young  people  than  really  playing  for 
money." 

Crescenz  did  not  know  whether  to  be  satisfied  or  vexed — 
but  when  her  mother  added  a  few  words  of  reproach  about 
her  playing  without  her  having  the  means  of  paying  hei 
debts,  should  she  lose,  she  blushed  deeply  and  stammered, 
"  I — I  have  more  than  a  florin  pocket-money — and  besides, 
Mr.  Hamilton  would  have  waited  until  Christmas,  when  papa 
always  gives  me  a  crown !" 

"  Oh,  certainly,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing,  "  I  could  have 
waited  until  Christmas  without  the  least  inconvenience." 

"  I  hope,"  said  Major  Stultz,  "  that  before  Christmas, 
Crescenz  will  have  made  me  her  banker." 

"  At  all  events,"  Hamilton  said  to  Madame  Rosenberg, 
"  you  cannot  treat  me  so  like  a  child  as  to  force  me  to  take 
back  what  I  have  lost ;  but  if  you  forbid  our  continuing  to 
play,  of  course  we  must  obey." 


THE  OCTOBER  FETE.  205 

"  Well,  play  for  kreutzers  or  pfennings,  if  you  like,  but  it 
is  a  bad  habit." 

The  permission  granted,  Crescenz  seemed  to  have  lost  all 
inclination  to  continue.  She  and  Hamilton  were  soon  after 
employed  in  building  card-houses,  while  they  kept  up  a  sort 
of  murmured  conversation  in  French,  possibly  very  inter- 
esting to  them,  but  unintelligible  to  Madame  Rosenberg  and 
Major  Stultz— the  former  had  commenced  knitting,  the  latter 
sat  watching  the  varyiug  countenance  of  his  betrothed,  as 
she,  sometimes  lowering  her  voice  to  a  whisper,  seemed  to 
speak  pensively,  and  quite  forgot  her  occupation ;  the  next 
moment,  however,  with  childish  delight,  slyly  blowing  down 
the  Chinese  tower  which  had  apparently  cost  Hamilton  a 
world  of  trouble  to  erect.  How  long  this  occupation  might 
have  continued  to  interest  them,  it  is  impossible  to  say,  for 
Hildegarde's  return  caused  Crescenz  instantly  to  leave  her 
place,  and  though  Hamilton  still  continued  to  play  with  the 
cards,  it  was  unconsciously.  Crescenz's  eager  inquiries  of 
how  Hildegarde  had  amused  herself,  if  the  Hoffmanns  had 
pleased  her  on  a  nearer  acquaintance,  and  if  she  had  seen 
the  future  husband  of  Mademoiselle  Hoffmann,  were 
answered  quickly  and  decidedly. 

"  I  have  spent  a  delightful  day,  the  Hoffmanns  are  the 
most  charming  people  I  ever  met,  and  the  bridegroom  is, 
without  any  exception,  the  most  amusing  and  the  cleverest 
person  in  the  world  !" 

"  Phew-w-w-w,"  whistled  Major  Stultz. 

"  What  is  his  name  ?"  asked  Crescenz. 

"  Count  Raimund.  He  is  our  very  nearest  relation — our 
first  cousin  !" 

"  Our  cousin  !  But — but — I  thought  the  Raimunds  did 
not  wish  to  know  us  ?" 

"  We  have  no  right  to  make  him  answerable  for  the  un- 
kindness  of  his  parents,  Crescenz ;  and  all  I  can  say  is,  that 
he  spoke  at  once  of  our  near  relationship,  and  as  it  was 
impossible  to  refuse  to  acknowledge  it,  we  became  intimate 
immediately.  In  fact,  he  gave  me  no  choice,  for  he  called 
me  Hildegarde,  and  spoke  of  you  as  if  he  had  known  you 
all  his  life.  He  intends  to  call  here  to-morrow,  to  visit 
mamma  !" 

"  Does  he  ?"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  dryly.  ^ 

u  He  says  you  are  his  aunt,  as  you  have  married  papa." 
18 


206  THE  INITIALS. 

11  It  is  singular  he  never  discovered  the  relationship  until 
to-day  !  During  your  mother's  lifetime,  I  have  heard,  too, 
that  the  Raimunds  pretended  at  times  to  forget  your  father's 
name.  The  fact  is,  my  dear,  he  thought  it  would  natter  me 
to  fancy  myself  aunt  to  a  count,  although  there  is  actually 
no  relationship  whatever,  and  you  thought  so  too,  Hildegarde, 
or  you  would  not  have  repeated  so  absurd  a  remark." 

Hildegarde's  face  became  crimson.  "  These  were  his 
words,"  she  said,  with  the  quivering  lips  of  half-subdued 
anger.  "  You  may,  of  course,  put  what  construction  you 
please  on  them." 

"  The  words  and  their  meaning  are  easily  understood,"  said 
Madame  Rosenberg,  laughing.  "  But  why  he  has  so  sud- 
denly chosen  to  acknowledge  a  relationship  with  you  and 
Crescenz,  and  force  upon  me  the  honour  of  being  his  aunt, 
is  more  difficult  to  comprehend." 

"  Not  at  all,  ma'am,"  said  Major  Stultz,  glancing  from 
Hildegarde  to  Crescenz,  "  not  at  all.  A  young  man  is  always 
glad  to  gain  admittance  to  a  house  where  there  are  young 
ladies." 

"  Rut,  my  dear  Major,  the  man  is  engaged  to  be  married 
to  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann  in  January,  and  all  other 
young  women  must  be  indifferent  to  him  now  !" 

"  Some  men  never  become  indifferent  to  young  women, 
ma'am  ;  and,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  this  Count  Raimund  is 
one  of  these  persons.  I  think  I  have  heard  that  he  has  been 
a  very — a " 

"  Very  what  ?"  asked  Madame  Rosenberg,  quickly. 

"  Very  wild — if  not  very  profligate,"  replied  Major  Stultz, 
distinctly. 

"  Then  I  shall  take  good  care  that  if  he  comes  to-morrow, 
it  shall  be  his  last  as  well  as  his  first  visit.  But  you  are 
quite  sure  of  what  you  say  ?  Otherwise  you  know  Rosen- 
berg might  be  dissatisfied,  and  think  that  I  was  uncivil  from 
personal  dislike,  for  I  do  dislike  these  Raimunds,  and  that's 
the  truth.  Fancy  their  pretending  to  think  that  I  treated 
Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  harshly  after  my  marriage,  and 
proposing  to  take  them  altogether  from  me  !" 

"  I  wonder  why  you  did  not  resign  us,"  said  Hildegarde, 
bitterly. 

"  For  two  reasons,"  replied  Madame  Rosenberg.  "  First, 
you  were  never  to  be  allowed  to  see  your  father,  and  he  did 


THE  OCTOBER  FETE.  207 

not  like  that  part  of  the  arrangement.  Secondly,  you  were 
to  be  educated  to  become  governesses,  and  were  to  remain  at 
school  until  you  were  given  a  situation  in  some  foreign 
family,  as  they  only  wanted  to  get  you  out  of  the  way  on 
account  of  the  relationship.  Now,  I  had  a  promise  of  one 
free  place  at  the  same  school,  and  did  not  despair  of  working 
out  the  other,  while  by  coming  home  for  a  time  there  was  a 
chance  of  your  marrying  into  the  bargain.  And  I  was  right, 
for  here  is  Crescenz  well  provided  for,  and  if  you  continue 
to  improve  as  you  have  done  of  late,  I  foresee  that  I  shall 
not  long  have  you  on  my  hands  either.  But  to  return  to 
this  Count  Rahnund,  Major — tell  me  all  you  know  or  have 
heard  about  him." 

"  I  have  heard  more  than  I  can  tell  you  at  present,"  said 
Major  Stultz,  mysteriously,  "  such  things  are  not  a  proper 
subject  of  conversation  before  young  ladies."  Crescenz 
blushed.  Hildegarde  threw  herself  back  in  her  chair  and 
laughed  contemptuously,  as  Madame  Rosenberg  adjourned 
to  the  next  room  with  Major  Stultz.  "  This  is  the  first  time," 
she  said,  looking  after  them,  "  the  first  time  that  I  have 
seen  him  attempt  to  act  the  part  of  son-in-law." 

"  He  is  acting  as  a  friend,"  said  Hamilton,  gravely. 

"  How  do  you  know  that?" 

"  Perhaps  I  have  heard  more  of  Count  Raimund  than  you 
imagine." 

"  And  suppose  you  have,"  said  Hildegarde,  folding  her 
hands  together  and  looking  Hamilton  steadily  in  the  face ; 
"  suppose,  even,  you  have  heard  all  that  can  be  said  against 
him,  what  does  it  amount  to  ?  Failings,  faults,  if  you  will, 
which,  as  he  himself  said  this  evening,  every  young  man 
has  been  guilty  of Have  you,  yourself,  been  so  immacu- 
late that  you  feel  authorised  to  judge  him  ?" 

Hamilton  blushed  deeply,  but  did  not  answer. 

"  I  know,"  continued  Hildegarde,  with  increased  warmth, 
"  I  know  you  think  yourself  superior  to  other  people,  but 
your  present  confusion  proves  that  you  have  your  weaknesses, 
too,  with  this  difference,  that  you  the  while  pretend  to  be 
a  pattern  of  perfection,  and  others  honestly  confess  their 
faults !" 

"  Oh,  Hildegarde !"  cried  Crescenz,  deprecatingly. 

Hamilton  crushed  the  card  which  he  held  in  his  hand, 
looked  vexed,  but  still  did  not  attempt  to  speak. 


208  THE    INITIALS. 

"  It  is  hard,"  continued  Hildegarde,  more  quietly,  though 
her  cheeks  flushed  deeply,  "it  is  hard  to  judge  a  young 
man  like  Oscar  without  knowing  the  temptations  to  which 
he  has  been  subjected." 

Hamilton  still  remained  silent ;  he  began  once  more  to 
build  a  tower  with  the  cards. 

"  Do  you  not  hear  me?"  she  asked,  impatiently. 

"  I  am  listening  most  attentively." 

"  Then  why  don't  you  say  something  ?" 

"  Because  a  reply  would  only  provoke  another  taunt  on 
your  part,  and  can  answer  no  purpose  whatever?" 

"  I  see — you  think  I  have  been  hasty — I  did  not  mean  it 
— I  am  sorry  if  I  have  offended  you." 

Hamilton  looked  up  and  smiled,  and  Hildegarde  contin- 
ued— "  We  have  so  few  relations — so  very  few.  Oscar  is 
our  only  cousin.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  I  felt  to-day  when 
he  called  me  Hildegarde,  and  told  me  to  consider  him  a 
brother.  You  will  think  me  romantic  when  I  assure  you 
that  I  experienced  an  instantaneous  prepossession  in  his  fa- 
vour, or  rather  a  sort  of  affection  which  I  thought  it  quite 
impossible  to  feel  for  a  stranger  !  I  suppose  the  recollection 
of  my  mother,  faint  though  it  be,  partly  caused  this  feeling. 
At  all  events,  I  have  found  it  impossible  not  to  think  him 
the  most  amusing,  clever — in  short,  the  most  fascinating  per- 
son I  ever  met." 

"  Oh  dear !  How  I  should  like  to  know  him  !"  exclaimed 
Crescenz. 

"  Then  he  is  so  very  accomplished ! — speaks  French  so  per- 
fectly— and  plays  the  pianoforte  as  I  have  never  heard  it 
played.  Fancy  his  being  able  to  compose  for  hours  together 
without  ever  being  at  a  loss  !  able  to  follow  all  his  thoughts, 
and  express  them  beautifully  in  music !  sometimes  so  sad,  so 
melancholy,  then  gay  and  passionate,  according  to  the  im- 
pulse." 

"  I  was  not  in  the  least  aware  that  you  cared  for  music," 
said  Hamilton,  interrupting  her  with  a  look  of  unfeigned 
surprise,  "  you  play  the  pianoforte  so  seldom,  and " 

"  And  so  badly,"  said  Hildegarde,  interrupting  him  in  her 
turn,  "  so  badly,  that  you  concluded  I  must  be  incapable  of 
appreciating  good  music  when  I  heard  it?  On  the  con- 
trary, I  am  so  sensitively  alive  to  its  beauties  that  I  cannot 
endure  mediocrity,  and  beyond  that  I  know  I  should  never 


THE  OCTOBER  1ETE.  209 

arrive,  when  I  take  into  consideration  my  want  of  time  and 
patience !" 

"  Of  your  want  of  patience  you  are  the  best  judge — time 
you  have  enough,  if  you  want  to  employ  it  on  music — for 
instance,  you  read  enormously.  Were  the  hours  which  you 
devote  to " 

"  Ah,  bah  !"  cried  Hildegarde,  impatiently ;  "  why  should 
I  plague  myself  studying  music,  which,  after  all,  is  half  me- 
chanical expertness  most  difficult  to  acquire,  when  in  read- 
ing I  gain  information  and  amuse  myself  at  the  same  time. 
If  I  could  hope  to  play  like  Oscar,  it  would  be  different,  but 
nothing  else  would  satisfy  me." 

"  Then  you  do  not  care  for  vocal  music,"  said  Ham- 
ilton. 

"I  rather  give  it  the  preference;  because  one  has  words 
to  direct  the  thoughts ;  but  then  the  voice  is  also  an  instru- 
ment— requires  incessant  practice,  and  so — and  so — but  you 
know  very  well  that  I  have  no  patience  !" 

"  So  I  thought,  until  I  discovered  that  you  had  learned 
English  so  perfectly  without  an  instructor ;  this  proves  that 
you  have  both  patience  and  perseverance." 

"  But,  then,  think  of  the  reward !  a  new  and  extensive 
literature  !" 

"  And  if  you  really  liked  music,  would  it  not  also  have  re- 
warded you?" 

"  I  see  you  have  got  the  best  side  of  the  argument ;  and  I 
must  therefore  suppose  that  I  have  no  real  talent  for  music. 
To  appreciate  Oscar's  playing,  however,  only  requires  feel- 
ing— it  is  a  sort  of  thing  one  never  could  get  tired  of — some- 
thing like  the  conversation  of  a  person  who  talks  well.  I 
only  hope  you  may  soon  have  an  opportunity  of  judging  for 
yourself.  I  wish,  too,  you  could  hear  him  read  aloud.  I 
never  imagined  anything  like  it.  He  read  for  Mademoiselle 
de  Hoffmann  and  me,  and  we  both  felt  cold  and  warm  alter- 
nately— it  was  too  delightful !" 

"  What  did  he  read  ?"  asked  Crescenz. 

"  Heine's  poems,"  answered  Hildegarde,  drawing  from  her 
pocket  a  small  volume — "this  is  called  the  Book  of  Songs  ; 
and  he  has  given  it  to  me.     Shall  I  read  you  The  Bream?" 

"  By  all  means,"  said  Hamilton. 

Hildegarde  began,  her  voice  trembling  from  eagerness. 
She  had,  however,  scarcely  read  a  couple  of  verses,  when  her 
o  18* 


210  TEE  INITIALS. 

mother  entered  the  room,  and  asked  directly,  "  What  have 
you  got  there,  Hildegarde  ?" 

"A  book,  mamma." 

"  That  is  evident :  but  what  book  ?  You  know  I  do  not 
wish  you  to  read  anything  but  French ;  and  this  is  German, 
and  poetry  into  the  bargain — and  Count  Raimund's  too !" 
she  said,  taking  it  out  of  Hildegarde's  unwilling  hand — "  You 
see,  Major,  he  has  already  begun  with  his  books,  just  as  you 
told  me.     I  dare  say  it  is  full  of  improprieties  !" 

"  As  well  as  I  can  recollect,  you  are  mistaken,"  said  Ham- 
ilton. "  Some  of  the  poems  are  beautiful,  and  all  original, 
and  full  of  talent." 

"  If  that  be  the  case,  I  suppose  I  may  let  her  read  them — 
but  the  book  must  be  returned  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  But "  began  Hildegarde. 

Crescenz  pulled  her  sleeve,  and  whispered  :  "  Don't  say  he 
gave  it  to  you." 

Hildegarde  shook  off  her  sister's  hand,  while  she  said, 
"  The  book  is  mine  :  he  gave  it  to  me ;  and  if  I  may  read  it, 
I  may  keep  it,  I  suppose." 

"  You  may  do  no  such  thing,"  cried  her  mother,  with  con- 
siderable irritation.  "  Should  Count  Rairnund  come  to-mor- 
row, I  shall  return  him  his  book,  and  request  him  to  keep 
the  remainder  of  his  library  for  his  own  perusal.  He  would 
have  done  better  had  he  given  it  to  his  betrothed  instead  of 
you  :  and  I  shall  tell  him  so." 

"  I  see  you  are  determined  to  affront  him,"  said  Hilde- 
garde, angrily ;  "  and,  as  you  mean  to  return  this  book  to- 
morrow, i  may  as  well  tell  you  that  I  shall  not  go  to  bed 
to-night  until  I  have  read  every  line  of  it." 

"  Hildegarde  !  Hildegarde  !  I  am  afraid  you  are  about  to 
have  one  of  your  old  fits  of  anger  and  obstinacy.  It  is  un- 
pardonable your  being  so  childish,  now  that  you  are  near 
seventeen  years  old  !  However,  since  you  are  a  child,  I  must 
treat  you  as  one  ;  and  you  shall  not  have  more  candle  than 
will  light  you  to  bed." 

Hildegarde  put  the  book  into  her  pocket,  shoved  her  chair 
hastily  back,  and  walked  towards  the  stove.  Major  Stultz, 
while  wishing  Crescenz  good-night,  observed,  in  an  audible 
whisper,  "  What  a  lucky  man  am  I  that  you  have  fallen  to 
my  lot !" 

Madame  Rosenberg  accompanied  him  out  of  the  room, 


THE  OCTOBER  FETE.  211 

first  stopping  at  the  door  to  say  to  Hildegarde  and  Crescenz, 
"  You  must  not  think  that  I  am  actuated  by  personal  dislike 
to  Count  Raimund  if  to-morrow  I  forbid  him  our  house — 
he  is  a  most  dangerous  person — has  brought  dishonour  on 
two  respectable  families,  and  his  last  exploit  was  going  off 
with  the  wife  of  one  of  his  friends." 

Crescenz  seemed  utterly  confounded  by  this  speech,  and 
turned  to  her  sister,  while  she  said,  "  Oh,  Hildegarde  !  if 
this  be  true !" 

"  It  is  true." 

"  Why,  you  praised  him  just  now,  and " 

"  Well,  I  am  ready  to  praise  him  again  ;  and  yet  it  is  true. 
He  intends,  however,  henceforward  to  lead  a  different  life, 
and  honestly  confessed  all  his  misdemeanours  to  Marie  de 
Hoffmann  and  to  me  this  evening.  He  did  not  spare  him- 
self, I  can  assure  you  !" 

"  His  confession  must  have  been  very  edifying,"  observed 
Hamilton. 

"  It  was  very  amusing,"  replied  Hildegarde,  slightly  laugh- 
ing. "  He  related  with  such  spirit,  described  such  comical 
situations,  and  begged  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann  to  for- 
give his  thoughtlessness  with  such  fervour,  that  she  was  not 
only  obliged  to  pardon  him,  but  also  forced  to  confess  that 
perhaps  others  would  not  have  acted  differently,  had  they 
been  subjected  to  the  same  temptations." 

"He  seems  to  have  proved  himself  a  sort  of  victim,"  said 
Hamilton,  without  looking  up. 

"  Almost,"  said  Hildegarde.  "  He  was  given  all  sorts  of 
encouragement  by  the  young  ladies,  who  met  him  alone,  and 
Madame  de  Sallenstein  actually  herself  proposed  going  off 
with  him." 

"  He  told  you  that,  and  the  names  also  ?" 

"  Certainly ;  he  did  not  conceal  the  slightest  circumstance, 
related  all  the  conversations  and  adventures — no  book  could 
be  more  amusing  !  His  first  love  was  a  daughter  of  a  Cap- 
tain Welden — there  were  four  daughters,  and  they  all  took 
a  fancy  to  him  at  the  same  time — the  youngest  was  much 
the  prettiest,  and  so " 

"  Excuse  my  interrupting  you,"  cried  Hamilton,  "  but  really 
I  cannot  endure  to  hear  you  talk  in  this  light  manner — Count 
Raimund  must  be  a  fiend  incarnate,  if  he  can  change  you  so 
completely  in  one  day  !" 


212  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Indeed,  I  do  think  Hildegarde  is  changed, "  chimed  in 
Crescenz  :  "  I  never  heard  her  talk  so  oddly  before — and  oh, 
Hildegarde,  do  you  remember  how  hardly  you  judged  Mr. 
Hamilton,  when  you  only  suspected  that  he — that  I — I  mean 
we — on  account  of  Major  Stultz,  you  know?  Oh,  think  of 
all  you  said  in  Berchtesgaden  !" 

Crescenz's  eloquence  did  not  seem  to  make  much  impres- 
sion on  Hildegarde — she  merely  shook  her  head  impatiently. 

"  I  find  I  have  altogether  mistaken  your  character,"  said 
Hamilton,  approaching  her,  and  leaning  his  elbow  on  the 
stove,  "  altogether  mistaken,  it  seems." 

"  How  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  I  thought  that,  if  from  a  false  and  romantic  idea  of 
generosity  or  liberality,  you  could  be  induced  to  overlook 
conduct  like  Count  Raimund's,  you  would  at  least  be  shocked 
to  find  him  boasting  of  his  villainy,  and  throwing  the  blame 
on  his  victims." 

Hildegarde  blushed  so  deeply  that  it  must  have  caused  her 
acute  pain — she  threw  herself  into  a  chair,  and  turned  away. 

"  Mr.  Hamilton  is  quite  right,"  said  Crescenz,  "  it  was  not 
honourable  of  Count  Raimund  to  throw  the  blame  on  Cap- 
tain Welden's  daughter,  who,  I  dare  say,  was  not  the  first  to 
propose  a  rendezvous — and  then  to  repeat  everything  and 
laugh  !  Oh  !  Hildegarde,  he  may  be  very  amusing,  but  he 
cannot  have  a  good  heart !"  She  bent  down  towards  her 
sister,  and  added  in  a  whisper,  "Mr.  Hamilton  would  never 
have  acted  so !" 

"  Mr.  Hamilton  is,  most  probably,  in  no  respect  better  than 
other  people,"  replied  Hildegarde,  quickly,  but  without  turn- 
ing round. 

"  Why,  Hildegarde,  you  seem  to  forget  that  you  said  only 
yesterday — that  he  was  superior  to  other  people — so  like 
somebody  in  a  book  you  know,  the  hero  who  was  too  perfect 
to  be  natural,  because  he  never  was  angry  or " 

"  Crescenz  !"  cried  Hildegarde,  literally  bounding  from  her 
chair,  "  are  you  purposely  trying  to  irritate  me  ?  or  are  you 
really  what  Lina  Berger  has  often  called  you,  a  simpleton — 
a  fool  ?  Anything  so  nonsensical  or  silly  as  your  remarks,  I 
never  in  my  life  heard  !" 

"  Now,  Hildegarde,  don't  be  angry,  you  know  these  were 
your  own  words." 

"  I  shall  in  future  carefully  avoid  making  any  remark  to 


THE   OCTOBER  FETE.  213 

you  which  I  do  not  intend  to  be  repeated  to  the  whole  world," 
said  Hildegarde,  walking  up  and  down  the  room,  and  speak- 
ing hurriedly.  "  Everything  that  I  say  is  misunderstood, 
and  stupidly  brought  forward  in  the  most  provoking  manner  ! 
Until  to-night,  I  had  no  idea  of  your  excessive  silliness  !" 

"  You  are  right — I  see — I  understand  now,"  cried  Crescenz, 
with  tears  in  her  eyes :  "I  ought  not  to  have  repeated  what 
you  said  before  Mr.  Hamilton,  because  he  might  think,  per- 
haps, you  liked  him  as  I  do — did,  I  mean  to  say — that  is,  he 
might  fancy " 

"  You  tiresome  girl,  can  you  not  at  least  be  silent?"  cried 
Hildegarde,  stamping  with  her  foot.  "  Mr.  Hamilton  may 
fancy  what  he  pleases,  but  he  knows  that  I  disliked  him  from 
the  commencement  of  our  acquaintance,  and  if  I  did  begin 
to  think  better  of  him,  I  have  again  returned  to  my  first 
opinion — he  is  in  no  respect  better  than  others ;  and  had  he 
anything  to  boast  of,  I  am  sure  he  would  do  so  quite  as 
inconsiderately  as  Oscar  or  anyone  else." 

"  I  hope  you  are  mistaken,"  said  Hamilton,  quietly  lighting 
his  bedchamber  candle,  "  but  as  I  have  never  been  put  to  the 
proof,  I  cannot  answer  for  myself." 

Crescenz  hung  her  head,  and  looked  uneasily  towards  her 
sister,  who  was  about  to  reply,  when  Madame  Rosenberg 
appeared  at  the  door,  and  they  all  prepared  to  retire  for  the 
night.  Hamilton  did  not,  as  was  his  usual  custom,  linger  at 
the  door  to  continue  the  interrupted  conversation,  or  talk 
some  nonsense  not  adapted  for  the  rational  ears  of  their 
mother ;  he  walked  quickly  to  his  room,  seated  himself  at 
the  table,  and  taking  out  his  journal,  was  soon  employed  in 
writing  the  events  of  the  day,  with  copious  reflections.  He 
was  angry,  very  angry  with  Hildegarde,  and  yet,  by  some 
strange  process  of  reasoning,  he  firmly  persuaded  himself 
that  not  a  particle  of  jealousy  was  mixed  with  his  just  indig- 
nation. He  began  to  suspect  that  his  admiration  for  her 
person  had  induced  him  to  give  her  credit  for  virtues  which 
she  did  not  possess ;  he  was  even  ready  to  allow  that  he  had 
greatly  overrated  her  in  every  respect ;  but  still  the  idea  of 
her  becoming  his  first  love  had  that  day  so  completely  taken 
possession  of  his  mind  that  it  would  not  be  banished,  and 
imagining  himself,  as  a  younger  son,  privileged  to  fall  in  and 
out  of  love  as  often  as  he  pleased,  with  perfect  impunity,  he 
determined  at  once  to  enter  the  lists,  and  break  a  lance  with 


214  THE  INITIALS. 

Count  Raimund.  In  England  his  position  was  known  ;  Cre 
scenz  had  already  forced  him  to  be  explicit  on  the  subject, 
and  had,  he  supposed,  informed  her  sister  ;  he  therefore  con- 
ceived he  had  a  right  to  pay  to  Hildegarde  all  the  attention 
she  would  accept,  while  her  opinion  of  Count  Raimund's 
conduct  that  evening  would,  he  thought,  exonerate  him  from 
self-reproach,  or  future  blame  on  her  part.  This  was  arguing 
most  sophistically,  and  judging  a  few  thoughtless  words  too 
harshly.  He  seemed  to  have  forgotten  that  her  mother  had 
accused  her  of  inordinate  family  pride,  and  it  was  this,  per- 
haps, alone  which  had  made  her  blind  to  her  cousin's  faults, 
and  explained,  if  it  could  not  excuse,  the  utterance  of 
opinions  so  unlike  any  that  Hamilton  had  ever  heard  her 
express.  He  recollected,  however,  with  peculiar  complacency, 
the  words  which  Crescenz  had  repeated  respecting  himself, 
and  which  Hildegarde  had  not  denied.  She  had  found  a 
resemblance  between  him  and  some  hero  in  a  novel ;  that  is, 
she  was  beginning  to  make  a  sort  of  hero  of  him,  and  he 
had  not  read  and  studied  with  her  for  so  many  weeks,  with- 
out discovering  that  she  had  a  warm  imagination,  romantic 
ideas,  and  passionate  feelings.  She  did  not,  it  is  true,  remind 
him  of  any  particular  heroine,  nor,  on  consideration,  did  she 
seem  adapted  to  form  one  at  all,  for  who  ever  heard  of  a 
heroine  whose  passions  "  oozed  out,"  like  Bob  Acres'  courage, 
"  at  the  palms  of  her  hands,"  or  found  vent  in  the  clapping 
of  doors  and  upsetting  of  chairs — not  to  mention  consider- 
able fluency  of  language  when  irritated?  But  then,  her 
perfect  face  and  figure  covered  a  multitude  of  faults,  her 
occasional  violence  of  temper  was  rather  amusing  than  other- 
wise, and  on  taking  into  consideration  her  extreme  youth,  it 
merely  proved  an  energy  of  character  far  more  interesting 
than  the  gentle  insipidity  of  her  sister.  He  perceived  that 
her  cousin  had  made  a  deep  impression  on  her,  and  imagined, 
in  consequence,  that  his  quiet  and  respectful  manner  had  not 
been  appreciated — he  remembered  having  heard  his  brother 
say,  that  very  young  or  very  elderly  women  prefer  audacity 
to  deference,  and  he  wished  with  all  his  heart  that  it  were 
morning,  that  he  might  begin  a  new  line  of  operations.  A 
knock  at  the  door  surprised  him  in  the  midst  of  these  reflec- 
tions, and  made  him  hastily  throw  down  his  pen — scarcely 
waiting  for  permission  to  enter,  Hildegarde  had  partly  opened 
the  door,  and  stood  before  him,  her  candle  burned  down  in 


THE  OCTOBER   FETE.  215 

the  socket,  and  already  emitting  the  fitful  gleams  of  light 
which  precede  extinction. 

"  I  dare  say  you  are  surprised  to  see  me  at  this  hour,"  she 
began. 

"  Not  at  all,"  cried  Hamilton,  pushing  away  his  table,  "  not 
at  all,  for  I  have  just  been  thinking  of  you,  and  I  suppose 
some  sort  of  sympathy  has  made  you  think  of  me." 

"  No,  not  exactly  of  you,"  replied  Hildegarde,  with  a 
smile,  "  but  I  have  thought  of  your  candles  !  You  have 
often  offered  me  one  when  I  wished  to  read  at  night,  and  I 
always  feared  it  would  be  dishonourable  to  take  advantage 
of  your  offer,  as  it  would  be  deceiving  mamma.  To-night, 
however,  I  have  given  her  fair  warning,  so  if  you  will  per- 
mit me " 

Hamilton  pushed  a  candle  towards  her,  and  was  rather 
puzzled  what  to  say  next:  she,  in  the  mean  time,  very 
calmly  extinguished  her  light  and  began  to  arrange  the  new 
one. 

"  I  suppose  you  have  half  read  your  book  by  this  time  ?" 
said  Hamilton  at  length. 

"  No,"  said  Hildegarde,  while  she  rolled  a  piece  of  paper 
round  the  candle.  "  No,  I  have  been  employed  in  making 
apologies  to  Crescenz.  You  must  have  thought  me  abomi- 
nably rude  to  her  this  evening?" 

"  Rather,"  replied  Hamilton,  greatly  vexed  to  find  that  the 
determination  to  be  audacious  had  made  him  more  than 
usually  restrained — almost  timid  in  his  manner. 

"  I  thought  you  would  have  blamed  me  more,"  continued 
Hildegarde,  fastening  the  candle  steadily,  "  but  even  your 
judgment,  with  all  its  severity,  cannot  equal  my  own  in 
rigour,  when  the  moment  of  anger  is  past.  Crescenz  forgave 
me  directly,  and  in  her  good  nature  tried  soon  to  excuse  my 
loss  of  temper,  and  to  reconcile  me  to  myself." 

"  A  fault  must  be  forgiven  when  so  acknowledged,"  said 
Hamilton,  lightly.  "  But  instead  of  talking  of  faults,  which, 
by-the-by,  is  not  the  most  agreeable  subject  of  conversation, 
suppose  you  read  me  this  dream,  which  was  so  unpleasantly 
interrupted  this  evening." 

"  Not  now,"  said  Hildegarde, "  but  I  intend  to  write  it  out, 
and  we  can  read  it  together  to-morrow  when  Mr.  Biedermann 
is  gone." 

"  No  time  like  the  present,"  said  Hamilton,  pointing  to  a 


216  THE  INITIALS. 

place  beside  him  on  the  sofa.  "  Come,  suppose  we  read  the 
whole  book  ?" 

"  If  it  were  not  so  late,  I  should  have  no  objection." 

"  From  your  conversation  this  evening,  I  should  not  have 
expected  you  to  make  difficulties  about  such  a  trifle." 

"  Conversation  this  evening,"  repeated  Hildegarde,  thought- 
fully. 

"  Have  you  then  already  forgotten  all  you  said  in  defence 
of  your  cousin?"  asked  Hamilton,  half  laughing,  while  with 
his  hand  he  gently  induced  her  to  take  the  unoccupied  place 
beside  him.     "  I  thought  your  memory  was  more  retentive." 

"  But  my  defence  of  Oscar  has  no  sort  of  connection  with 
my  remaining  here  until  two  or  three  o'clock  in  the  morning 
to  read  Heine's  poems  !"  said  Hildegarde,  quietly  fixing  her 
large  blue  eyes  on  Hamilton's  face,  with  an  expression  of 
such  perfect  confidence,  that  his  previous  resolutions  and  his 
brother's  opinion  lost  at  once  all  influence  over  him,  and  not 
for  any  consideration  would  he  have  shaken  the  reliance  on 
his  integrity  legible  in  every  feature  of  his  companion's  face. 
He  blushed  deeply,  as  he  answered  evasively — "  Perhaps 
there  is  more  connection  than  you  are  aware  of;  but  you 
must  wait  until  to-morrow,  and  then  if  you  wish  it,  I  will 
tell  you  what  I  meant." 

"  But  why  not  now  ?  I  detest  delay — besides,  I  shall  for- 
get to  ask  you  to-morrow." 

"  No,  you  will  not  forget,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing. 

"  But  why  will  you  not  tell  me  now?"   asked  Hildegarde. 

"  Because  I  fear  to  shock  you  unnecessarily." 

"  But  I  am  not  easily  shocked,"  observed  Hildegarde. 

"  So  I  perceived  from  what  you  said  this  evening." 

"  It  is  really  not  generous  of  you  to  harp  continually  on 
my  defence  of  Oscar ;  I  am  willing  to  acknowledge  that  you 
were  quite  right  in  what  you  said  about  him — I  know,  too,  I 
was  wrong  to  be  angry  with  mamma  and  Crescenz — but  I  do 
not  like  to  be  so  perpetually  reminded  of  my  faults  by  you 
— you  are  not  old  enough — and — and — you  bore  me  with 
your  real  or  affected  superiority." 

"  Did  I  affect  superiority  we  should  never  have  quar- 
relled "  replied  Hamilton,  with  evident  vexation ;  "  I  only 
quarrel  with  my  equals." 

"  I  quarrel  with  everybody,"  said  Hildegarde,  with  a  sigh  ; 
M  a  passionate  temper  is  a  great  misfortune — but  I  can  and 


THE  OCTOBER   FETE.  217 

will  learn  to  control  it.  Perhaps  the  fear  of  my  losing  my 
temper,  and  not  the  fear  of  shocking  me,  prevented  you 
from  telling  your  thoughts  just  now  ?  Do  not  wait  until  to- 
morrow, but  speak  freely  and  at  once." 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  Hamilton,  rising,  "  I  have  changed  my 
mind,  and  will  neither  speak  now  nor  to-morrow — I  have  no 
right  to  correct,  and  certainly  no  wish  to  bore  you." 

"  I  might  have  guessed  what  your  answer  would  have 
been,"  cried  Hildegarde,  petulantly.  "  You  store  up  every 
hasty  word  to  bring  forward  just  when  I  wish  it  forgotten  ! 
If  you  will  not  tell  me,  I  may  as  well  wish  you  good-night." 
She  took  up  the  candle  and  walked  to  the  door. 

"  Good-night,"  said  Hamilton,  approaching  as  if  to  close 
it  after  her,  and  making  no  attempt  whatever  to  detain  her. 

"  As  you  feared  to  shock  me,"  said  Hildegarde,  stopping 
suddenly,  "I  suppose  I  have  done  something  very  wrong?" 
and  she  looked  up  inquiringly. 

"  I  really  do  not  know,"  replied  Hamilton,  stiffly. 

"  You — you  most  disagreeable  person — "  she  began  an- 
grily, but  seeing  that  Hamilton  was  endeavouring  to  sup- 
press a  smile,  she  exclaimed :  "  Well,  if  this  is  not  affecting 
superiority,  I  do  not  understand  you  at  all ! — What  must  I 
say  to  you  ?  I  was  wrong  to  defend  Oscar,  he  is  unfortu- 
nately a — a — great  reprobate,  I  suppose,  but  he  is  my 
cousin,  my  only  cousin,  and  I  admire  him  more  than  anyone 
I  have  ever  seen." 

"  You  had  better  tell  him  so,"  said  Hamilton,  ironically. 

"It  is  not  necessary,  he  is  perfectly  aware  of  his  advan- 
tages," she  replied  in  the  same  tone. 

"  So  I  perceived  at  the  races  to-day." 

"  That  he  did  not  please  you  I  saw  at  once,"  said  Hilde- 
garde, playing  with  the  lock  of  the  door.  "  You  looked  so 
unfriendly  and  haughty  that  the  Hoffmanns  could  hardly 
believe  all  I  said  in  your  praise." 

"  So  you  undertook  my  defence,"  said  Hamilton  quickly. 

"  Of  course,  I  always  defend  the  absent,  especially  when 
they  are  censured  by  people  who  do  not  know  them.  If 
Oscar  had  not  been  attacked  this  evening,  I  should  never 
have  attempted  to  take  his  part — Perhaps  you  don't  believe 
me?" 

"  I  do  believe  you — but  I  cannot  understand  how  Madame 
de  Hoffmann  could  allow  him  to  speak  so  freely." 


21 S  THE  INITIALS. 

"  She  is  very  deaf  and  he  was  seated  at  the  pianoforte ; 
Marie  at  one  side  of  him,  and  I  at  the  other — he  spoke  very 
gently,  and  sometimes  played  a  few  chords,  which  gave  the 
appearance  of  a  sort  of  recitation.  Exactly  what  I  imagined 
an  improvisatore  must  be !  I  am  sure  he  would  make  an 
excellent  actor !" 

"  And  I  am  sure  he  will  prove  a  dangerous  man,"  said 
Hamilton. 

"  If  he  keeps  his  promises,  Marie  will  nevertheless  be 
very  happy  with  him — he  is  a  person  one  must  admire,  and 
might  easily  love — but  I  am  keeping  you  from  writing,  and 
I  dare  say  you  would  rather  hear  what  I  have  to  say  to- 
morrow." 

u.  By  no  means — if  you  have  anything  more  to  say,  I 
should  like  to  hear  it." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  want  to  speak  to  you — about  myself,  not 
Oscar." 

"  A  much  more  interesting  subject,"  observed  Hamilton. 

"But  then,"  said  Hildegarde,  hesitating,  "you  will  prob- 
ably give  me  some  severe  answer,  and  make  me  repent  my 
humility." 

"  I  promise  to  give  you  no  severe  answer,"  said  Hamilton, 
exceedingly  nattered. 

"  Then  I  must  beg  of  you  to  forget  what  I  said  just  now. 
I  am  quite  aware  that  I  have  more  faults  than  people  gen- 
erally have,  and  if  you  will  take  the  trouble  to  correct  them, 
I  shall  be  obliged  to  you.  I  have  spent  almost  the  whole  of 
my  life  at  school  among  girls  of  my  own  age,  so,  of  course, 
I  must  know  very  little  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
world.  I  see  Crescenz's  simplicity  quickly  enough,  and  to 
avoid  falling  into  her  errors,  I  try  to  act  differently  in  every 
respect.  Now,  Crescenz,  with  all  her  weaknesses,  makes 
herself  beloved — not  more  than  she  deserves,  for  she  is  the 
most  amiable  creature  in  the  world,  while  I  am  universally 
disliked.  I  think,  therefore,  that  something  must  be 
wrong ;  I  have  no  person  whose  advice  I  can  ask.  Papa 
overrates  as  much  as  mamma  underrates  me,  and  neither  of 
them  understands  me  at  all.  Do  you  remember  one  even- 
ing mamma's  saying  that  you,  as  an  unbiassed  looker-on, 
could  judge  between  us?  I  refused  you  as  arbitrator  then, 
because  I  knew  you  liked  mamma  better  than  me ;  but  I 
am  now  willing  to  accept  of  you  as  judge,  Mentor,  or  what- 


THE   OCTOBER  FETE.  219 

ever  you  please,  for  I  am  convinced  that  you  only  dislike  me 
just  enough  to  see  my  faults  without  exaggerating  them  ;  so 
I  promise  to  bear  your  corrections  with  as  much  patience  as 
my  natural  impatience  will  allow." 

During  this  speech  Hamilton  had  been  leaning  against  the 
wall,  endeavouring  to  look  as  sage  as  Hildegarde  evidently 
thought  him ;  his  eyes  were  bent  on  the  ground,  but  a  smile 
of  ineffable  satisfaction  played  round  his  mouth.  Not  for  a 
moment  did  he  hesitate  to  undertake  the  dangerous  task. 
He  would  direct  her  studies,  correct  her  faults,  and  make 
her  mind  as  perfect  as  her  form  !  What  words  he  made  use 
of  to  express  this  most  magnanimous  resolution  he  himself 
never  could  recollect;  that  he  had  spoken  intelligibly  was 
evident,  for  Hildegarde  held  out  her  hand  and  smiled  bril- 
liantly as  she  once  more  turned  to  the  door.  "  I  think,"  she 
said,  with  some  hesitation,  "  I  think  I  could  sleep  more 
soundly  to-night  if  you  would  begin  your  office  at  once,  and 
tell  me  what  I  have  done  to-day  that  is  reprehensible." 

"  I  must  of  course,  if  you  desire  it." 

"  Let  me  guess.     It  is  not  Oscar's  defence  ?" 

"  No ;  we  have  already  discussed  that  subject,"  replied 
Hamilton. 

"  My — my  losing  my  temper  this  evening,  when  mamma 
made  the  remark  about  Oscar's  saying  she  was  his  aunt  ?" 

Hamilton  shook  his  head. 

"  Well,  then,  my  obstinacy  about  reading  the  book  ?" 

"  Humph ! — obstinacy  is  certainly  a  fault,  but  was  not 
what  I  meant  on  the  present  occasion." 

"  Ah !  now  I  know — because  I  asked  you  for  a  candle, 
and  as  I  did  not  tell  mamma  I  could  get  one  from  you,  you 
think  that  I  have  acted  dishonourably  ?  Perhaps  you  are 
right,  so  I  shall  not  take  it,  but  go  to  bed  in  the  dark  as  a 
punishment.     Are  you  satisfied  ?" 

"  I  ought  to  be,  for  you  have  not  only  confessed  your  fault, 
but  imposed  penance  on  yourself ;  and  yet  I  must  still  say 
that  you  have  not  discovered  the  error  to  which  I  alluded." 

"  Then,  now  you  must  tell  me,  for  I  can  think  of  nothing 
else." 

"  Is  it  possible,"  said  Hamilton,  the  colour  as  usual, 
mounting  impetuously  to  his  forehead,  "  is  it  possible  that 
you  are  not  aware  of  the  impropriety  of  coming  to  my  room 
at  this  hour  ?" 


220  THE  INITIALS. 

"  I — I — came  for — for  the  candle,"  stammered  Hilde- 
garde,  in  painful  confusion. 

"  I  know  you  did ;  but  you  have  remained  here  some 
time,  and  people " 

li  Let  me  go — let  me  go,"  she  cried,  impatiently  pushing 
back  the  hand  which  he  had  placed  on  the  lock  of  the  door 
in  order  to  have  time  to  add  a  few  words.  "  Let  me  go  ;  I 
desire — I  insist." 

He  drew  back,  and  she  rushed  past  him  into  the  dark 
passage  without  turning  round  or  stopping  until  she  reached 
the  door  of  her  room.  He  merely  waited  until  she  entered, 
and  then  once  more  sat  down  to  write. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  AU  FAIR,  AND  THE  SUPPER  AT  THE  BREWERY. 

"  Will  you  go  with  us  to  the  Au  fair  ?"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg  to  Hamilton,  the  next  day,  after  dinner. 

';  Of  course,  but  what  is  the  Au?     I  never  heard  of  it?" 

"  One  of  the  suburbs — at  the  other  side  of  the  Isar.  There 
is  a  beautiful  Gothic  church  there,  which  you  can  look  at 
while  I  buy  ticking  to  make  Crescenz  a  mattress." 

"  When  do  we  set  out?" 

"  The  sooner  the  better,  for  the  Major  has  proposed  a 
party  to  the  Stuberwoll  Brewery  afterwards ;  we  are  to  sup 
there." 

"  At  the  brewery  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  the  Major  says  the  beer  is  excellent,  and  the  roast 
geese  delicious  ;  Rosenberg  enjoys  the  idea,  of  all  things  ;  he 
has  a  passion  for  roast  goose  !" 

"  Oh,  what  fun  !"  cried  Gustavus,  jumping  about  the  room. 
"  Mamma  has  promised  to  take  me  with  her.  It  is  a  pity 
that  Fritz  has  gone  to  grandpapa." 

"  And  may  I  go  too  ?"  asked  Peppy. 

"  You  are  too  young,"  replied  his  brother,  demurely  ;  "  you 
cannot  walk  so  far." 


THE  All  FAIR.  221 

"  I  can,  I  can,"  cried  Peppy,  commencing  a  roar. 

"  Hush,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg;  "what  is  the  child 
crying  about  ?" 

"  Peppy  wishes  to  go  with  us,  mamma,"  said  Crescenz  ;  "  I 
will  take  charge  of  him,  if  you  have  no  objection." 

"  You  will  probably  have  to  carry  him  half  the  way  home  ; 
but  you  may  do  as  you  please,"  replied  her  mother  with  a 
smile  of  satisfaction  strangely  in  contradiction  to  her  words. 
"  Off,  and  get  ready,  all  of  you." 

There  was  a  joyous  and  noisy  rush  down  the  passage,  while 
Madame  Rosenberg,  turning  to  Hamilton,  observed :  "  A 
very  good  girl  is  Crescenz.  She  shall  not  be  a  loser  for 
liking  my  boys,  that  is  certain." 

Madame  Rosenberg  was  herself  always  the  last  to  appear ; 
she  generally  dressed  her  children,  and  had  a  long  consulta- 
tion with  her  cook  before  she  went  out.  Hamilton  found 
the  rest  of  the  party,  with  the  exception  of  Hildegarde,  as- 
sembled in  the  drawing-room,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he 
observed  that  Crescenz  was  making  him  the  most  unac- 
countable signs  and  grimaces.  He  approached  her,  appar- 
ently occupied  in  forcing  his  fingers  into  a  tight  glove,  and 
said  in  French,  "  Why  are  you  making  such  horrible  faces  ?" 

Crescenz  laughed  goodhumouredly,  but  while  pretending 
to  look  at  his  glove,  answered  hurriedly :  "  Hildegarde  is  at 
the  Hoffmanns  to  return  the  book  to  Count  Raimund.  Go 
— go  for  her  before  mamma  comes." 

He  left  the  room,  descended  quickly  the  flights  of  stairs, 
stood  before  the  Hoffmanns'  apartments,  and  rang  the  bell. 
He  now  regretted  not  having  as  yet  visited  them,  for  though 
he  would  have  particularly  liked  to  see  how  Hildegarde  and 
her  cousin  were  occupied,  he  could  not  make  his  appearance 
for  the  first  time  so  unceremoniously,  and  was,  therefore, 
obliged  to  send  in  the  servant  with  a  request  that  Mademoi- 
selle Rosenberg  would  return  home  immediately.  He  thought 
he  heard  Hildegarde  speaking  as  the  door  opened,  and  per- 
ceived, from  the  sound  of  the  moving  of  chairs,  that  she  was 
taking  leave  at  once.  Not  wishing  to  be  seen,  he  left  the 
passage  where  he  had  been  standing,  and  retired  to  the  land- 
ing-place on  the  stairs  without.  Hildegarde  was  accompa- 
nied by  her  cousin,  who  spoke  French,  that  the  servant 
might  not  understand  him :  "  Adieu,  dearest  Hildegarde ; 
your  step-mother  may  forbid  me  her  house,  but  she  cannot 


222  THE  INITIALS. 

change  the  course  of  nature,  and  prevent  our  being  cousins 
I  shall  see  you  here,  and  often ;  promise  me  that  at  least.'' 

Hildegarde  was  about  to  answer,  when  she  perceived  Ham- 
ilton. The  two  young  men  bowed  haughtily,  mutual  dislike 
legible  in  every  feature. 

"  I  suppose  I  may  accompany  you  to  the  door,  Hildegarde, 
even  if  it  be  closed  against  me." 

"  It  is  quite  unnecessary,"  she  replied,  moving  up  the  stairs, 
evidently  endeavouring  to  get  rid  of  him. 

Raimund.  however,  followed,  and,  before  he  turned  to  de- 
scend, gently  took  her  hand  and  kissed  it,  with  a  mingled 
expression  of  respect  and  admiration. 

Hamilton  scarcely  waited  for  him  to  be  out  of  hearing, 
before  he  observed :  "  This,  I  suppose,  is  the  most  approved 
manner  for  cousins  German." 

"  It  is  less  remarkable  than  the  manners  of  cousins  Eng- 
lish," replied  Hildegarde.  "  I  have  not  forgotten  your  meet- 
ing with  yours  at  Salzburg." 

"  That  was  after  a  separation  of  several  months,  and " 

"  Yes ;  but  it  was  something  more  than  hand  kissing, 
which  means  nothing  at  all,  you  know,  and,  I  hear,  is  rather 
going  out  of  fashion." 

"  And  yet  it  is  a  pleasant  fashion,"  said  Hamilton.  u  I 
never  kissed  anyone's  hand,  but  should  have  no  objection  to 
make  a  beginning  now." 

Hildegarde  held  out  her  hand  without  a  moment's  hesita- 
tion. 

"  Not  that  one,"  said  Hamilton,  hesitating  ;  "  your  cousin's 
kiss  is  still  upon  it." 

The  door  opened  suddenly,  and  she  ran  laughingly  past 
him  towards  the  drawing-room,  just  in  time  to  enter  it  before 
her  mother. 

A  few  minutes  after,  they  were  in  the  street,  Hildegarde, 
as  usual,  close  to  her  father's  elbow,  but  without  taking  his 
arm.  Hamilton  at  first  imagined  Mr.  Rosenberg's  presence 
would  be  a  restraint,  but  he  found,  on  the  contrary,  that  he 
encouraged  Hildegarde  to  talk  and  give  her  opinion  freely, 
enjoying  even  nonsense  when  it  came  from  her  lips,  and  laugh- 
ing with  a  heartiness  which  Hamilton  had  imagined  impossi- 
ble for  a  person  who  had  always  appeared  so  calm  and  re- 
served. Everything  and  everybody  who  passed  afforded 
amusement ;    it  was  in  vain  Madame   Rosenberg  called  to 


THE  AU  FAIR.  223 

order ;  the  laugh  was  partly  stifled  for  a  moment,  to  be  re- 
newed the  next  with  double  zest.  Hamilton  was  extremely 
surprised,  and  began  to  think  he  should  never  be  able  to  un- 
derstand her  character,  and  yet  the  simple  fact  was  merely, 
that,  being  naturally  gay,  she  only  required  the  certainty  of 
being  able  to  please  to  induce  her  to  yield  to  her  innate  in- 
clination. She  was  not  herself  aware  of  this,  for,  on  Hamil- 
ton's making  some  remark  to  express  his  surprise,  she  said : 
"  She  believed  she  was  only  by  degrees  getting  over  the 
restraint  of  her  school  habits,  all  conversation  being  forbid- 
den there,  excepting  during  the  recreation  hours." 

The  crowd  at  the  fair  was  immense.  It  was  the  first  time 
Hamilton  had  seen  anything  of  the  kind,  and  he  found  it 
difficult  to  believe  that  in  the  paltry  booths  around  him 
there  could  be  anything  for  sale  as  good  as  might  be  had 
with  less  trouble  in  the  town.  The  noise,  the  talking,  and 
the  bargaining  amused  him  not  a  little,  especially  the  latter ; 
and  he  stood  beside  Madame  Rosenberg  for  more  than  half 
an  hour,  while  she  haggled  about  the  price  of  some  muslin. 
At  the  end  of  this  time  she  was  at  the  point  of  walking  off, 
(or,  as  she  explained  afterwards,  pretending  to  do  so,)  when 
the  shopman  called  her  back,  and  with  an  assurance  that  he 
was  giving  her  the  "  article"  for  next  to  nothing,  prepared 
to  measure  what  she  required.  This  was  a  bargain  !  She 
had  gained  twenty-one  kreutzers,  about  seven  pence,  and  had 
the  annoyance  of  carrying  a  large  package  home,  for  porters 
there  were  none.  To  anyone  accustomed  to  English  trades- 
men, the  almost  positive  necessity  of  bargaining  in  the  gen- 
erality of  German  shops  is  extremely  tiresome  and  disagree- 
able. It  is  more  than  probable  that  the  tradesmen  would 
gladly  establish  fixed  prices,  were  not  the  habits  of  bargain- 
ing as  yet  too  strong  in  the  middle  and  lower  orders  to  be 
overcome. 

The  vociferous  invitations  of  the  Jews  to  inspect  their 
wares  were  equally  novel  to  Hamilton.  "  Ladies,  step  here, 
if  you  please.  Cheap  gloves,  elegant  ribbons,  scissors,  brace- 
lets, or  soap.  Have  I  nothing  that  I  may  show  you,  ma- 
dame  ?  Flannels,  merinos,  or  cloth  for  the  young  gentlemen  ? 
Winter  is  coming,  madame,  and  I  promise  you  as  great  bar- 
gains as  you  will  get  anywhere !" 

To  all  these  speeches  Madame  Rosenberg  gave  an  answer, 
generally  of  a  facetious  description ;   and  while   Hamilton 


224  THE  INITIALS. 

thought  her  more  than  usually  vulgar,  he  sometimes  could 
not  avoid  laughing,  the  more  so  as  everything  she  said  was 
taken  in  good  part,  and  a  few  words  seemed  to  reconcile  the 
vendors  to  her  passing  their  booths  without  purchasing.  The 
two  little  boys  had  become  weary  and  hungry  ;  they  leaned 
against  the  counters,  occasionally  upset  the  piles  of  goods 
ranged  outside  the  booths,  cuffed  each  other  when  their 
mother  was  not  watching  them,  and  when  forced  to  stand 
quietly  beside  her,  yawned  until  the  tears  ran  down  their 
cheeks.  Hamilton  took  pity  on  them,  and  finding  a  toyshop, 
soon  filled  their  pockets  and  hands  with  playthings,  making 
them  by  many  degrees  the  happiest  of  the  whole  party. 

"  So  !"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg,  as  they  returned  to  her, 
radiant  with  smiles,  "  this  is  what  you  have  been  about ;  I 
thought  Mr.  Hamilton  had  gone  to  look  at  the  church.  We 
must  all  go  together,  it  seems,  and  the  less  time  we  lose 
there  the  better,  for  the  days  are  short,  and  we  have  a  long 
walk  home  after  supper." 

They  were  not  exactly  the  persons  with  whom  Hamilton 
could  enjoy  seeing  anything  of  the  kind,  and  on  entering  the 
church  he  walked  up  the  aisle  alone.  They  all,  however, 
followed  him,  and  Crescenz  observed,  in  a  dissatisfied  tone 
of  voice,  "And  is  this  the  church  that  everyone  admires  so 
much?  It  is  not  half  so  handsome  as  the  Allerheiligen.  I 
declare,  if  it  were  not  for  the  painted  windows  with  the  sun 
shining  through  them,  I  should  say  it  was  the  most  sombre 
church  I  had  ever  seen." 

"  You  have  seen  very  few,  my  dear,"  said  her  father,  look- 
ing round  him,  and  drawing  nearer  Hamilton. 

"  I  have  seen  all  the  churches  in  Munich,"  said  Crescenz, 
"  and  several  of  them  are  larger  than  this." 

"  It  would  be  difficult  to  form  an  opinion  of  the  size  of 
this  building,"  said  Hamilton,  thoughtfully,  "  for  the  pro- 
portions are  so  admirably  observed  that  nothing  strikes  the 
eye  or  distinguishes  itself  above  the  rest.  There  is  no  point 
from  which  one  can  take  a  mental  measure,  and  I  am  con- 
vinced it  appears  infinitely  smaller  than  it  really  is." 

"  But  I  expected  to  see  a  quantity  of  painted  pillars,  and 
bright  colours,  and  gilding-,  when  I  heard  it  was  Gothic," 
observed  Crescenz. 

"  I  know  nothing  of  architecture,"  said  Hamilton,  turning 
to  Mr.  Rosenberg,  "  but  I  form  exactly  a  contrary  idea  when 


THE  AU  FAIR.  225 

I  hear  of  a  Gothic  church ;  the  painted  windows  are  the 
only  colours  which  are  admissible  without  destroying  my 
ideal." 

"  And  yet,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberg,  "  Gothic  buildings  often 
combined  colour  with  form.  In  northern  countries,  either 
from  stricter  simplicity  of  taste,  or  on  account  of  the  cli- 
mate, the  absence  of  colours  is  usual,  and  sculpture  takes 
their  place ;  but  in  the  south,  beside  the  painted  ceilings, 
mosaics,  and  frescoes  inside,  the  outsides  of  the  churches 
were  ornamented  with  coloured  marble.  It  is  a  mistake  to 
suppose  that  the  Gothic  and  Byzantine  architecture  refused 
the  assistance  of  colours  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  most  brilliant 
and  strongly  contrasted  painting  is  common.  To  begin  with 
the  windows " 

"  Rather  let  us  dispense  with  them  altogether,"  said  his 
wife,  moving  towards  the  door. 

"  I  have  no  objection,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberg,  turning  round 
to  look  back  into  the  church,  "  for  they  do  not  suit  the  grey 
monotony  of  the  walls,  and  the  gaudy  colours  playing  so 
uncertainly  on  the  cold  surface  have  something,  to  me,  alto- 
gether disharmonious.  In  almost  all  the  old  cathedrals,"  he 
added,  "  the  walls  and  pillars  were  formerly  gorgeously 
painted  ;  and  it  is  only  in  the  later  centuries  that,  either 
from  want  of  taste  or  poverty,  they  have  been  whitewashed." 

"  I  was  not  aware  of  that,"  said  Hamilton.  "  It  cannot, 
however,  make  me  change  my  ideas  all  at  once.  A  Gothic 
church  is  always  handsome,  with  its  light  pillars  and  pointed 
steeple  and  windows.  I  have  never  travelled  in  southern 
countries,  and  my  taste  for  bright  colours  has  not  yet  been 
made.  Since  I  have  been  in  Munich,  I  have  begun  merely 
to  tolerate  them  by  degrees ;  and  for  this  reason  paintings 
of  the  Middle  Ages  do  not  please  me,  no  matter  how  cele- 
brated they  may  be.  I  cannot  endure  the  bright  red  and 
blue  draperies,  or  the  terribly  shining  gold  backgrounds 
which  are  so  common  in  those  pictures.  I  dare  say  it  is 
great  want  of  taste  on  my  part,  but  the  hard  outlines  appear 
to  be  unnatural,  and  the  glaring  colours  offensive." 

"  Very  probably,  when  viewed  deliberately  in  a  picture- 
gallery ;  but  exactly  these  pictures  were  intended  for 
churches,  and  churches  with  painted  walls.  You  must  allow 
that  duller  colours  would  have  appeared  weak,  or  would  have 
been  completely  lost,  when  submitted  to  the  glowing  stream 

P 


226  THE  INITIALS. 

of  light  which  would  have  fallen  on  them  from  windows  of 
blue,  red,  and  amber-coloured  glass !" 

"  All  this  never  occurred  to  me,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  but  I 
suspect,  as  you  so  warmly  defend  these  bright  colours,  that 
you  have  seen  and  admired  them  in  more  southern  climes. 
Have  you  been  in  Italy  ?" 

"  Many  years,"  he  replied,  while  a  sudden  flush  passed 
across  his  face. 

"  Papa  has  been  in  Spain  and  in  Greece  too,"  said  Hilde- 
garde. 

"  And  yet  you  never  speak  of  your  travels !"  exclaimed 
Hamilton,  surprised. 

"  Because  I  regret  them,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberg,  sorrowfully. 
"  I  did  not  travel  expensively,  and  yet  I  wasted  my  whole 
patrimony  and  the  best  years  of  my  life  in  foreign  countries. 
I  know  not  what  I  should  have  become  at  last,  had  I  not  by 
chance  met  Hildegarde's  mother  in  Tyrol." 

"  She — she  was  probably  very  beautiful,"  said  Hamilton 
glancing  unconsciously  towards  their  companion. 

"  No,"  replied  Mr.  Rosenberg,  thoughtfully.  "  She  was 
interesting  looking,  but  no  longer  young  when  we  married. 
She  was  clever  and  warm-hearted — like  Hildegarde  here — 
and  could  love  with  a  warmth  perfectly  irresistible  to  a  man 
who  had  wandered  for  years,  and  was  without  a  friend  or 
near  relation  in  the  world.  She  gave  me  an  object  in  life ; 
but  her  affection,  though  of  incalculable  benefit  to  me,  sub- 
jected her  to  trials  and  privations  which  only  ended  with  her 
life.     I  was  not  worthy  of  such  love  !" 

"  Oh,  papa  !  I  am  sure  you  were,"  cried  Hildegarde,  eagerly. 
"  And  what  are  trials  and  privations  when  shared  with  those 
we  love !  It  must  be  a  compensation  for  everything  when 
one  is  really  loved  !  I  should  like  someone  to  love  me — not 
in  a  commonplace,  rational,  every-day  sort  of  way — but  per- 
manently— desperately " 

"  My  dear  girl,  you  don't  know  what  you  are  saying ! 
What  will  Mr.  Hamilton  think  of  you  !" 

"  He  will  think  I  am  talking  nonsense,"  replied  Hilde- 
garde, laughing,  "  or,  perhaps  he  will  not  understand  me. 
Mr.  Hamilton  is  much  too  rational  to  love  unwisely — and  as 
to  passion  of  desperation,  I  do  not  think  it  possible  for  him 
to  form  a  tolerably  correct  idea  of  the  meaning  of  the  words  I" 

"Hello!"   shouted  Major  Stultz,  "where  are  you  three 


o 


THE  AU  FAIR.  227 

oing  ?  We  are  all  waiting  for  you,  and  the  roast  goose  is 
nearly  ready." 

They  turned  back  and  Hildegarde  said  in  a  low  voice  to 
Hamilton,  as  they  passed  through  the  yard  of  the  brewery, 
"  I  am  glad  that  there  are  not  many  people  here,  for,  though 
I  like  a  garden  party  exceedingly,  I  think  supping  in  a  brew- 
ery must  be  vulgar.     I  wonder  you  came  with  us !" 

"  I  like  to  see  everything,"  replied  Hamilton,  "  and  besides 
a  man  may  go  anywhere  and  everywhere." 

"  Ah,  how  I  should  like  to  be  a  man  !"  she  said  sighing. 

"  You  are  too  young  for  such  a  wish,"  said  Hamilton  ; 
"  rather  like  the  Prince  de  Linge,  desire  to  be  a  woman  until 
you  are  thirty,  a  soldier  until  you  are  fifty,  and  to  spend  the 
rest  of  your  life  as  a  monk." 

"  I  think,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  bustling  past  them, 
"  I  think  that  as  the  evening  air  is  cool,  we  had  better  take 
possession  of  the  little  room  at  the  end  of  the  garden  ;  there 
is  a  window  in  it  which  looks  out  on  the  road,  and  we  can 
see  everybody  who  goes  by.  Do  you  remember,  Franz,  we 
supped  there  with  my  father  on  pork-chops  and  sauer-kraut 
the  evening  before  we  were  married  ?" 

Mr.  Rosenberg's  previous  conversation  seemed  to  have 
made  him  somewhat  oblivious — he  confessed  having  for- 
gotten the  pork-chops,  but  said  that  he  had  probably  thought 
more  of  her  than  of  them,  at  such  a  time. 

"  I  don't  know  that,"  said  his  wife,  "  for  you  scarcely  spoke 
a  word,  and  eat  enormously.  Now  that  I  think  of  it,  I  dare 
say  that  was  the  reason  you  looked  so  miserably  ill  the  next 
day." 

"  I  dare  say  it  was,"  replied  Mr.  Rosenberg,  rubbing  his 
forehead  hastily,  and  then  turning  to  little  Peppy,  who  was 
dragging  from  his  pocket  the  toys  given  him  by  Hamilton. 

"  Ah,  those  are  childish  things,"  cried  Gustavus,  pushing 
him  aside,  and  leaning  against  his  father's  arm,  while  he 
endeavoured,  with  more  haste  than  dexterity,  to  open  a  little 
wooden  box.  "  Those  are  childish  things,  but  here  are  swans 
and  fish  made  to  follow  a  magnet,  and  they  swim  about  in 
the  water  as  if  they  were  alive.  Crescenz  says  I  may  swim 
them  in  her  basin  to-morrow." 

"  Papa,  look  at  my  drum,"  cried  Peppy,  in  his  turn  en- 
deavouring to  push  aside  his  brother,  "  look  at  the  nice  large 
drum  which  Hamilton  has  given  me." 


228  THE  INITIALS. 

11  Say  Monsieur  de  Hamilton,  or  Heir  von  Hamilton,"  said 
Madame  Rosenberg;  "you  and  Gustle  take  great  liberties.'" 

"  We  have  no  von  in  England,"  said  Hamilton,  slightly 
colouring,  "  and  if  the  children  may  not  call  me  Hamilton, 
I  must  teach  them  my  Christian  name." 

"  What  is  your  Christian  name?"  asked  Gustle. 

"  Alfred.     I  hope  you  like  it  ?' ' 

"  And  what  is  your  name  ?"  asked  Crescenz,  turning  to 
Major  Stultz. 

"  My  name  is  Blazius." 

"  Blazes  !"  cried  Hamilton.     "  What  an  odd  name  !" 

"  Not  at  all  odd,"  said  Major  Stultz,  "  the  name  is  a  good 
one,  to  be  found  in  all  almanacks  on  the  third  of  February, 
which  is  my  name's  day.  Next  year,  I  expect  it  to  be  prop- 
erly celebrated  too — eh,  Crescenz  ?" 

Crescenz  as  usual  smiled,  but  looked  embarrassed,  and  was 
evidently  greatly  relieved  by  the  entrance  of  the  roast  goose 
and  salad. 

They  supped,  and  Mr.  Rosenberg  and  Hamilton  had  just 
lit  their  cigars,  and  Major  Stultz  drawn  forth  a  pocket  edition 
of  a  meerschaum  pipe,  which  he  prepared  to  smoke  as  an 
accompaniment  to  his  third  tankard  of  beer,  when  the  sound 
of  a  number  of  gay  loud  voices,  and  approaching  steps, 
made  Madame  Rosenberg  hastily  open  the  window  which 
looked  into  the  garden,  and  stretch  her  long  thin  neck  to  its 
utmost  extent.  She  seemed  half  vexed  as  she  drew  back 
again,  exclaiming  :  "  Well,  to  be  sure  !  wherever  we  go — we 
are  sure  to  see  him.  If  he  were  alone,  I  shouldn't  care  a 
straw  ;  but  he  will,  no  doubt,  bring  all  the  others  with  him." 

••  Who  ?"  asked  Mr.  Rosenberg,  very  quietly  continuing  to 
puff  at  his  newly-lighted  cigar. 

"  Count  Zedwitz,  of  course — he  is  always  sure  to  find  out 
where  we  are  going,  and  pursues  us  like  a  shadow  !"  replied 
his  wife,  glancing  half-suspiciously  towards  Hildegarde,  who, 
however,  sprang  from  her  chair  with  even  more  than  her 
usual  vivacity,  while  she  said  to  Hamilton  :  ';  Can  you  not 
assist  us  to  escape  ?  This  window  is  so  close  to  the  ground 
that  I  think  we  could  easily  leap  on  the  road.  Pray  per- 
suade mamma  to  walk  home  with  us,  and  leave  papa  to  fol- 
low." 

Hamilton  threw  open  the  window,  and  in  a  moment  was 
on  the  ground,  holding  up  his  arm  towards  her ;  she  sprang 


THE  AU  FAIR.  229 

down  lightly  without  assistance,  the  two  boys  followed,  but 
when  it  came  to  Crescenz's  turn,  she  drew  back,  saying  she 
was  afraid. 

"  Oh,  Crescenz !  choose  some  other  time  and  some  better 
occasion  for  timidity,"  cried  Hildegarde,  impatiently. 

"  If  you  cannot  jump,  make  a  long  step,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg,  laughing,  while  she  put  her  advice  in  practice  by 
extending  towards  the  ground  nearly  a  yard  of  formless 
bone,  and  with  Hamilton's  assistance,  and  a  slight  totter, 
reached  the  road. 

A  tremendous  clatter  of  swords  in  the  garden  seemed  to 
alarm  Crescenz ;  she  threw  herself  completely  upon  Hamil- 
ton ;  and  while  he  was  endeavouring  to  place  her  steadily  on 
her  feet,  the  sound  of  wheels  made  him  look  around.  A 
dark-green  open  carriage  was  at  the  moment  turning  round, 
and  in  the  corner  of  it,  vainly  endeavouring  to  suppress  a 
fit  of  laughter,  sat  A.  Z. 

Hamilton  coloured  violently  as  he  approached  her,  and 
expressed  his  astonishment  at  seeing  her  at  Munich. 

"  Herrmann  called  on  you  a  couple  of  hours  ago,"  she 
replied,  "  but  you  were  not  at  home  ;  and  as  we  only  remain 
a  few  days  here,  and  I  may  not  see  you  again,  I  must  not 
forget  to  renew  my  invitation  to  Hohenfels.  You  must  not, 
however,  expect  to  see  an  English  country-house,  a  park,  or 
anything  of  that  kind— prepare  yourself  for  one  of  the 
simplest  of  German  establishments,  if  you  do  not  wish  to  be 
horribly  disappointed.  I  should  like  you  to  see  Hohenfels 
before  the  snow  comes  on,  or  after  it  is  gone.  When  will 
you  come  to  us  ?" 

"  In  spring,  if  you  please,"  said  Hamilton,  "  I  have  at 
present  so  many  engagements " 

"  I  need  not  ask  you  to  drive  back  with  me,"  she  said,  look- 
ing after  the  Rosenbergs,  "  but  I  can  take  those  children  and 
leave  them  at  home — it  is  a  great  distance  for  them  to  walk." 

Hamilton  was  the  bearer  of  a  message  to  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, who  no  sooner  heard  of  the  proposal  than  she  turned, 
back,  approached  the  carriage,  and  commenced  such  a  tor- 
rent of  exaggerated  thanks  and  apologies,  accompanied  by 
curtsies  and  bows,  that  Hamilton,  who  had  lately  begun  to 
feel  a  sincere  regard  for  her,  was  vexed,  and  looked  at  A.  Z. 
as  if  to  deprecate  her  mirth,  while  he  silently  lifted  the  two 
boys  into  the  carriage. 


230  THE  INITIALS. 

It  was  unnecessary.  A.  Z.  seemed  to  find  nothing  unusual 
in  Madame  Rosenberg's  manner ;  and  when  the  latter  raised 
her  finger  threateningly,  and  told  the  children,  "  For  their 
life  to  keep  quiet,  and  not  soil  the  baroness's  beautiful  silk 
dress,"  she  replied,  quietly,  that  "  she  was  well  accustomed 
to  such  youthful  company  to  be  in  the  least  inconvenienced 
by  a  pair  of  dusty  little  shoes  more  or  less." 

"  An  exceedingly  civil  person,"  observed  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, as  the  carriage  drew  off,  "  an  exceedingly  civil  person 
is  your  countrywoman.  I  am  sorry  we  did  not  get  better 
acquainted  at  Seon,  for  I  liked  her  a  great  deal  better  than 
those  Zedwitzes,  who  were  uncommonly  grand,  and  seemed 
to  think  their  son  demeaned  himself  when  he  spoke  to  oui 
girls.  I  did  not  court  his  company,  I  am  sure,  and  I  let  him 
see  it." 

"  It  is  hardly  just  to  make  him  suffer  for  his  parents* 
faults  of  manner,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  Zedwitz  is  extremely 
gentlemanlike  and  good-humoured,  and  has  not  a  particle  of 
pride  in  his  composition.  Will  you  not  assist  me  to  defend 
the  absent?"  he  added,  turning  somewhat  maliciously  to 
Hildegarde. 

"  My  defence  would  be  as  injudicious  as  useless,"  she  said. 
but  in  so  low  a  voice  that  only  Hamilton  could  hear  her 
words ;  "  he  is  indeed  all  you  have  said,  and  much  more — 
excellent  in  every  respect,  I  believe." 

"  You  do  him  justice,"  began  Hamilton,  though  he  would 
have  preferred  praise  less  warm  in  its  expression  ;  but  at 
this  moment  they  were  overtaken  by  Mr.  Rosenberg  and 
Major  Stultz,  accompanied,  to  the  surprise  of  all,  by  Count 
Zedwitz  and  Count  Raimund. 

"  I  have  brought  you  two  of  the  party  from  whom  you 
ran  away,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberg,  laughing,  as  he  joined  them. 
"  Count  Zedwitz  came  into  the  room  just  in  time  to  see 
Crescenz  fly  out  of  the  window,  and  both  he  and  Count 
Raimund  prefer  walking  home  with  us  to  drinking  the  su- 
perlatively excellent  Stuberwoll  beer,  although  I  praised  u 
as  it  deserved*" 

"  It  was  truly  delicious,"  said  Major  Stultz.  "I  should 
have  had  no  objection  to  another  glass." 

"  Hildegarde  !  Crescenz  !"  cried  Mr.  Rosenberg,  "  this  is 
your  cousin,  Count  Raimund." 

Crescenz  turned  round  and  blushed.     Hildegarde  took  he* 


THE  AU  FAIR.  231 

usual  place  beside  her  father,  while  she  said,  without  hesita- 
tion, that  she  had  already  made  her  cousin's  acquaintance  at 
the  Hoffmanns'.  Hamilton  saw  a  glance  of  such  meaning 
pass  between  them  as  she  spoke,  that  he  indignantly  walked 
forward  towards  Madame  Rosenberg.  Major  Stultz  and 
Crescenz  soon  joined  them;  and  the  former  explained  that 
Count  Raimund  had,  in  the  free-and-easiest  manner  possible, 
claimed  relationship  with  Mr.  Rosenberg.  That  he  had 
spoken  of  his  aunt — ?aid  that  he  recollected  her  perfectly — 
hoped  he  would  present  him  to  his  cousins  and  his  present 
wife,  and  allow  him  occasionally  to  visit  his  family. 

"  And  Franz  was  as  usual  all  civility,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg,  with  considerable  irritation. 

11  Why,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  it  was  not  easy  to  be  other- 
wise," replied  Major  Stultz ;  "  his  manner  was  so  off-hand 
and  sincere  when  he  said  that  he  trusted  Rosenberg  would 
not  make  him  a  sufferer  for  family  differences  which  had 
occurred  when  he  was  a  mere  child.  They  shook  hands, 
and  I  was  obliged  to  do  the  same,  as  he  congratulated  me 

on   my  approaching   marriage,   and  said "  here    Major 

Stultz  diligently  sought  for  his  pocket  handkerchief,  as  he 
spoke — "  said  he  was  particularly  happy  at  the  prospect  of 
being  so  nearly  allied  to  an  officer  of  whose  personal  bravery 
he  had  heard  so  much — or  something  to  that  purport." 

"  It  is  too  late  to  attempt  opposition  now,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg.  "  I  intended  to  have  refused  his  acquaintance, 
and  forbidden  him  our  house,  without  ever  mentioning  his 
name — it  is  now  impossible.  As  to  Franz,  he  has  acted  ex- 
actly as  was  to  be  expected ;  but  after  all  you  said  yesterday 
evening  I  did  not  think  you  would  cultivate  his  acquaint- 
ance, on  Crescenz's  account." 

"  Crescenz  will,  I  hope,  do  me  the  favour  not  to  speak  much 
to  him,"  began  Major  Stultz;  but  Crescenz  interrupted  him 
by  exclaiming,  in  a  voice  wavering  between  crying  and 
laughing : 

"  I  shall  really  be  obliged  to  talk  to  myself  at  last !  Every 
day  a  new  prohibition  !" 

"  What  does  the  child  mean  ?"  said  Madame  Rosenberg, 
appealing  to  Major  Stultz,  whose  colour  visibly  deepened. 
"  What  on  earth  does  she  mean  ?  Has  she  not  her  brothers, 
her  sisters,  and  you,  and  Mr.  Hamilton  to  talk  to  ?" 

"  No  !"  cried  Crescenz,  while  tears  of  vexation  started  to 


232  THE  INITIALS. 

her  eyes,  "  he  forbid  my  speaking  to  Mr.  Hamilton  before 
we  came  out  to-day  ;  and  I  am  sure  I  don't  know  why  !" 

"  Then  I  must  tell  you  why,"  said  Major  Stultz,  restrained 
anger  evident  in  the  tone  of  his  voice.  "  It  is  because  I 
have  just  begun  to  discover  that  you  give  yourself  a  vast 
deal  too  much  trouble  to  please  this  Mr.  Hamilton — your 
— your  vanity  is  insatiable  ;  and,  I  must  say,  you  are  the 
greatest  coquette  I  ever  saw !" 

Crescenz  burst  into  tears. 

Major  Stultz  seemed  immediately  to  repent  his  speech.  He 
attempted  to  draw  Crescenz's  arm  within  his,  while  he  com- 
menced an  agitated  apology;  but  she  shrank  from  him,  and 
between  suppressed  sobs  stammered,  "  If — if  such  be  your 
opinion — of  me — the — the  sooner  we  break  off  our  engage- 
ment the — the  better." 

"  Crescenz,  are  you  mad  !"  cried  her  step-mother,  catch- 
ing her  arm,  but  Crescenz  broke  from  her,  and  hurried  on 
alone. 

"  Oh,  pray,  Mr.  Hamilton,  do  have  the  kindness  to  talk  a 
little  reason  to  that  headstrong  girl,"  said  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, turning  to  Hamilton,  who  had  been  walking  close  be- 
hind them. 

"  Excuse  me,"  he  said,  quietly.  "  Now  that  I  know  Major 
Stultz's  wishes  on  the  subject  from  himself,  he  may  be  quite 
sure  of  my  not  speaking  much  to  Mademoiselle  Crescenz  in 
future.  I  have  no  right  whatever  to  interfere  with  his 
claims." 

"  We  know  you  never  thought  of  such  a  thing.  Don't 
we,  Major  !" 

"  Mr.  Hamilton  certainly  admired  Crescenz  when  at  Seon," 
observed  Major  Stultz,  sullenly. 

"  A  mere  jealous  fancy  on  your  part,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg,  eagerly. 

"  Not  quite,"  said  Hamilton,  "  I  plead  guilty  to  the  charge ; 
in  fact,  I  admire  every  pretty  face  I  see,  and  both  Madem- 
oiselle Crescenz  and  her  sister  are  remarkably  handsome." 

"  You  see  Mr.  Hamilton  treats  the  whole  affair  as  a  joke." 

"  It  is  no  joke  to  me,  however — I  have  been  a  precipitate 
fool,  and  ought  never  to  have  thought  of  marrying  such  a 
girl  as  Crescenz — perhaps  I  do  Mr.  Hamilton  injustice — 
but " 

"  I  am  sure  you  do,"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg,  interrupt- 


THE  AU  FAIR.  233 

ing  him,  and  then  touching  Hamilton's  elbow,  she  whis- 
pered, "  Say  something  to  him." 

"  What  can  I  say?  Major  Stultz  can  hardly  expect  that 
because  he  intends  to  marry  a  very  pretty  girl,  everyone  is 
to  find  her  ugly  and  disagreeable,  in  order  not  to  provoke  his 
jealousy  !  I  can  avoid  speaking  to  her,  but  I  cannot  think 
her  one  bit  less  pretty  than  she  really  is." 

"  Come  now,  Mr.  Hamilton,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg, 
jocosely,  "  I  see  you  are  trying  to  tease  the  Major,  but  you 
must  not  go  too  far,  or  he  will  not  understand  you.  Cre- 
scenz  is  very  good-looking,  but  I  have  no  doubt  you  have  seen 
many  prettier  girls  in  England."  She  turned  towards  him 
once  more,  and  said  in  a  very  low  voice :  "  I  shall  be  greatly 
obliged  if  you  will  say  that  you  admire  Hildegarde  still  more 
than  her  sister." 

Hamilton  found  no  difficulty  in  complying  with  her  re- 
quest, and  was  so  eloquent  on  the  theme  given  him,  that  he 
not  only  convinced  Major  Stultz  that  he  had  been  mistaken, 
but  induced  him  even  to  banter  him  on  his  apparently  hope- 
less love.  Madame  Rosenberg  did  not  wait  for  this  result ; 
she  no  sooner  perceived  that  Hamilton  intended  to  comply 
with  her  request  than  she  walked  on  beside  Crescenz,  and 
began  a  severe  reprimand.  Had  she  delayed  a  few  minutes, 
she  would  have  found  the  young  lady  more  disposed  to  listen 
to  her  and  profit  by  her  advice. 

Unfortunately,  Crescenz  had  overheard  what  Hamilton  had 
said  before  Hildegarde's  name  was  mentioned,  and  her  mind, 
buoyed  up  on  a  thousand  vague  hopes,  would  not  now  yield 
to  the  pressing  reasonings  of  her  mother ;  she  said  sullenly, 
"  that  Major  Stultz  was  intolerably  jealous — that  his  age 
rendered  him  unable  to  make  allowances  for  younger  people, 
and  that  he  expected  more  than  was  reasonable  if  he  thought 
she  could  marry  him  for  any  other  cause  than  in  order  to 
obtain  a  home.  She  would  tell  him  so  the  first  convenient 
opportunity." 

"  You  will  tell  him  no  such  thing,"  cried  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, turning  back,  in  order  to  try  the  effect  of  her  eloquence 
on  Major  Stultz.  She  was  a  clumsy  maneuvrer — but  she 
generally  gained  her  point,  for  she  always  meant  well,  and  at 
times  spoke  with  much  worldly  wisdom.  On  the  present 
occasion,  she  took  her  future  son-in-law's  arm,  and  walked 
quickly  on  with  him,  leaving  Hamilton,  to  his  great  annoy- 

9n* 


234  THE  INITIALS. 

ance,  with  Crescenz.  He  would  willingly  have  joined  the 
others,  but  there  were  too  many  to  walk  abreast,  and  neither 
Zedwitz  nor  Raimund  seemed  disposed  to  resign  their  places. 

They  walked  together  in  silence  for  some  time,  Crescenz 
with  an  air  of  triumphant  satisfaction,  Hamilton  with  ill- 
concealed  impatience. 

"  1  hope,"  she  began  at  last, "  I  hope  that  I  have  seriously 
offended  Major  Stultz  this  evening:  nothing  would  give  me 
greater  pleasure  than  the  breaking  off  of  this  odious  engage- 
ment." 

"  It  would  have  been  more  honourable  had  you  done  so 
before  you  left  Seon." 

"  Better  late  than  never,"  said  Crescenz,  gayly. 

"  To  act  dishonourably,  do  you  mean  ?"  asked  Hamilton, 
gravely. 

"  Ah,  bah !"  cried  Crescenz,  with  imperturbable  good- 
humour.     "  You  are  talking  exactly  like  Hildegarde,  now." 

"  You  are  not  acting  as  Hildegarde  would,"  said  Hamil- 
ton, still  more  seriously. 

"  Don't  praise  her  too  much,  you  are  out  of  favour  with 
her  just  now,  I  can  tell  you." 

"'What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Hamilton,  quickly. 

"  I  mean  that  1  am  sure  you  must  have  been  very  uncivil 
to  her  last  night  when  you  refused  her  the  candle,  for  she 
cried  a  good  half-hour  before  she  went  to  bed  ;  and  Hilde- 
garde does  not  cry  for  nothing  I  Perhaps  if  I  had  gone  for 
the  candle,  you  would  have  given  it." 

"  Perhaps,"  answered  Hamilton,  absently. 

"  I  am  sure  you  would,"  she  persisted. 

"  Oh,  of  course,  of  course." 

"  Well,  I  told  her  so,  and  wanted  to  get  up  and  go  to  you 
— but  she  would  not  allow  me." 

"  She  was  right,"  said  Hamilton,  endeavouring  to  overtake 
Madame  Rosenberg,  while  she  was  speaking. 

"  Oh.  for  heaven's  sake  don't  bring  me  again  to  mamma  ! 
I  have  been  so  lectured  by  her  already — perhaps  you  heard 
what  she  said  ?" 

"  No,  I  was  speaking  to  Major  Stultz." 

"  And  he  was  so — so  very  rude  to  me — you  have  no  idea.' 

"  He  told  you  some  unpleasant  truths." 

"  Truths  !"  exclaimed  Crescenz. 

"  Yes,  truths,"  repeated  Hamilton.    "  You  are  very  pretty, 


LOVERS'  QUARRELS.  235 

and  very  good-natured,  but  you  certainly  are  a — a  coquette 
— what  we  call  in  England  a  flirt." 

"  Well,  how  odd  !"  exclaimed  Crescenz.  "  Do  you  know 
— I  don't  at  all  mind  your  telling  me  that — and  I  was  so  very 
angry  with  him  !  I  declare  now  I  should  like  to  hear  all  my 
faults  !" 

"  I  dare  say  Major  Stultz  will  enumerate  them,  if  you 
desire  it,"  said  Hamilton,  now  determinedly  joining  Madame 
Rosenberg,  and  remaining  beside  her  the  rest  of  the  way 
home. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
lovers'  quarrels. 


The  moon  was  shining  brightly  on  their  house,  as  they 
lingered  in  the  street  to  speak  a  few  parting  words.  Madem- 
oiselle de  Hoffmann  sat  at  an  open  window,  and  gazed 
pensively  upwards. 

"  Should  you  not  like  to  know  the  thoughts  of  your 
betrothed  at  this  moment?"  asked  Mr.  Rosenberg,  turning 
to  Raimund. 

"  Not  at  all,"  he  replied,  carelessly  glancing  towards  the 
house,"  I  am  sure  they  are  commonplace, for  a  more  matter- 
of-fact  person  does  not  exist  than  Marie  de  Hoffmann." 

"  So,"  cried  Zedwitz,  "  it  is  really  true  that  you  are  going 
to  be  married  !  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,  and  congratulate  you 
with  all  my  heart." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Raimund  musingly,  while  he  turned 
from  Zedwitz  to  Hamilton,  and  then  to  Hildegarde,  as  if 
they,  and  not  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann,  occupied  his 
thoughts. 

"  When  is  it  to  take  place  ?"  asked  Zedwitz. 

"  What !  ah !  my  execution  ?  Some  time  in  January,  they 
say ;  I  wish  it  were  sooner." 

"  Of  course  you  do,"  said  Zedwitz,  laughing. 

"  That  is,"  said  Raimund,  the  colour  mounting  to  his  fore- 
head, "  I  am  afraid,  if  it  be  put  off  long,  I  shall  get  tired  of 
the  concern,  and  in  the  end  prove  refractory." 

Mademoiselle   de    Hoffmann    had    recognised    and   now 


236  THE  INITIALS. 

addressed  them  from  the  window.  Raimund  was  invited  to 
supper,  and  entered  the  house  with  the  Rosenbergs,  while 
Mr.  Rosenberg,  who  never  spent  an  evening  at  home,  walked 
off  with  Zedwitz. 

The  moonlight  was  so  bright  in  the  drawing-room,  that  on 
entering  Madame  Rosenberg  declared  it  would  be  folly  tc 
light  the  candles.  She  gave  Crescenz  a  gentle  push  into  the 
adjoining  room,  telling  her  to  "  be  a  good  girl,  and  make  up 
her  quarrel  with  the  Major,"  and  then  went  to  "look  after 
her  boys." 

Hamilton  looked  out  of  the  window,  and  hummed  an  air 
from  Fra  Diavolo. 

"  I  am  very  tired,"  said  Hildegarde,  taking  off  her  bonnet ; 
"  our  walk  has  been  long  and  dusty :  and  besides  I  have 
talked  a  great  deal,  which  is  always  fatiguing," — she  stood 
beside  and  leaned  out  of  the  window  with  him. 

Hamilton's  hum  degenerated  into  a  half-suppressed  whistle, 
accompanied  by  a  drumming  on  the  window-cushion,  while 
his  upturned  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  moon.  They  remained 
several  minutes  without  speaking,  until  a  murmuring  of 
voices  from  the  window  beneath  them  attracted  their  atten- 
tion. Hamilton  leaned  farther  out  to  see  the  speakers,  but 
on  recognising  Count  Raimund  and  Mademoiselle  de  Hoff- 
mann, he  drew  back  with  a  slightly  contemptuous  smile, 
while  he  said,  "  Your  cousin's  observations  this  evening  on 
his  intended  bride  were  by  no  means  flattering." 

"  He  scarcely  knows  her  yet,"  said  Hildegarde,  seating 
herself  on  the  window-stool. 

"  Scarcely  knows  the  person  to  whom  he  is  to  be  married  !" 
exclaimed  Hamilton.  ':  You  Germans  have  the  oddest  ideas 
on  these  subjects." 

"  I  see  nothing  odd  in  the  matter ;  it  is  an  acknowledged 
marlage  de  convenance.  Oscar  proposes  to  marry  Mademoi- 
selle de  Hoffmann  because  he  has  debts  and  she  has  a  large 
fortune  ;  and  she  accepts  him  because  she  is  not  very  young, 
and  not  at  all  pretty,  and  wishes  for  a  good  connection ;  they 
are  not,  however,  to  be  married  until  January,  and  are  to 
endeavour  in  the  meantime  to  like  each  other  as  much  as 
possible.     Can  anything  be  more  reasonable  ?" 

"  Nothing,  excepting,  perhaps,  their  having  delayed  their 
engagement  until  the  trial  was  over.  I  should  like  amazingly 
to  know  what  the  sensations  of  a  man  may  be  who  sees,  for 


LOVERS'   QUARRELS.  237 

the  first  time,  a  parson  to  whom  he  is  beforehand  engaged  to 
be  married.  A  lady  in  such  a  situation  is  still  more  awk- 
wardly placed." 

"  There  was  no  awkwardness  whatever  in  this  case.  Marie 
was  pointed  out  to  Oscar  in  the  theatre,  he  did  not  find  that 
her  appearance  was  disagreeable,  heard  that  she  was  amiable, 
and  consented  to  marry  her.  His  father  made  the  proposal 
for  him,  and  Marie  was  given  a  whole  week  to  consider  before 
she  was  required  to  decide." 

"  A  whole  week  !"  repeated  Hamilton,  laughing  ironically. 

Hildegarde  rose  abruptly,  and  was  about  to  leave  the  win- 
dow, when  he  exclaimed,  "  Excuse  my  ignorance  of  German 
customs.  I  am  really  interested  in  what  you  have  been 
telling  me,  and  should  like  to  know  what  finally  induced 
Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann  to  accept  your  cousin." 

"  What  induced  her  !  They  met  at  the  house  of  a  mutual 
friend,  and  though  you  do  not  know  how  agreeable  Oscar 
can  be  when  he  chooses,  you — you  must  have  perceived  that 
he  is  uncommonly  good-looking." 

"  Why,  yes,  he  certainly  is  not  ugly ;  but  good  looks  on 
the  part  of  a  man  is  a  matter  of  minor  importance !" 

"  A  handsome  face  is  always  an  advantage.  Don't  you 
think  so?"  asked  Hildegarde,  laughing. 

"  An  advantage  ?  oh,  certainly  ;  but  from  what  you  have 
told  me  of  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann,  I  thought  her  far  too 
rational  to  attach  much  importance  to  personal  advantages. 
I  should  have  imagined  her  just  the  sort  of  a  person  to  appre- 
ciate a  man  like  Zedwitz." 

"  You  do  her  but  justice,"  said  Hildegarde  ;  "  and  I  think 
that,  were  she  given  the  choice,  with  time  and  opportunity 
to  form  an  opinion,  she  would  decide  in  favour  of  Count 
Zedwitz  ;  but  he  has  no  debts,  requires  no  fortune,  and  is  not 
likely  to  marry  in  this  way  ;  he  certainly  will  not  employ  his 
father  as  suitor !" 

"  You  seem  to  know  him  thoroughly ;  I  was  not  aware 
that  you  had  such  an  exalted  opinion  of  him  until  to-day," 
said  Hamilton,  biting  his  lip. 

"  If  we  had  ever  spoken  of  him  when  mamma  was  not 
present,  I  should  not  have  hesitated  to  say  that,  with  the 
exception  of  my  father,  I  do  not  think  there  is  a  more 
amiable  or  generous-minded  person  in  the  world  than  he  is." 

Hamilton  attempted  to  smile,  in  order  to  hide  the  jealousy 


238  THE  INITIALS. 

which  at  the  moment  he  keenly  felt,  and  answered  with 
affected  eagerness,  "  "Will  you  allow  me  to  tell  Zedwitz  what 
you  have  said  ?  I  know  it  will  make  him  inexpressibly 
happy." 

"  No,  thank  you."  replied  Hildegarde,  calmly,  though  even 
in  the  pale  moonlight  her  deep  blush  was  perceptible.  "  It 
is  equally  unimportant  now  what  he  thinks  of  me  or  I  of 
him." 

A  pause  ensued,  which  was  broken  by  Hamilton  saying 
abruptly,  "  If  you  really  think  Zedwitz  so  estimable,  may  I 
ask  you  why  you  refused  his  proposal  of  marriage  the  day 
we  were  on  the  alp?" 

Hildegarde  seemed  utterly  confounded, and  remained  silent. 

"  You  may  speak  without  reserve,"  added  Hamilton,  "  for 
Zedwitz  has  told  me  everything." 

"  I  am  not  going  to  speak  at  all,  unless,"  she  added,  half 
laughing,  "  unless  you  intend  to  begin  your  office  of  mentor  ; 
you  seem  altogether  to  have  forgotten  that  you  undertook 
last  night  to  tell  me  my  faults,  and  assist  me  to  correct  them. 
Have  I  done  nothing  reprehensible  to-day?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Hamilton,  "I  saw  you  bestow  on  your 
cousin  this  evening  when  he  joined  us  a  glance  that  gave  me 
the  idea  of  a  previous  understanding  with  him " 

"  Go  on,"  said  Hildegarde. 

"Can  you  not  explain  or  exculpate  yourself?"  asked 
Hamilton  with  some  embarrassment. 

"  Oh,  of  course — but  I  thought  you  would  naturally  say 
something  about  my  having  bestowed  a  glance  of  nearly  the 
same  kind  on  you,  when  mamma  talked  of  the  pork-chops 
and  my  father's  illness  the  day  of  his  marriage ;  that  was  in 
fact  more  reprehensible  than  the  other,  and  shall  not  occur 
again."  She  paused  for  a  moment,  and  then  continued  : 
"  When  you  came  for  me  to  the  Hoffmanns'  to-day,  I  had 
just  returned  that  unlucky  book  of  poems  to  Oscar,  and  to 
prevent  an  unpleasant  scene  in  our  house,  I  partly  told  him 
what  mamma  had  said — he,  however,  resolved  immediately 
to  try  what  he  could  do  with  papa,  who  he  knew  was  too 
gentlemanlike  to  be  rude  to  him.  I  suppose  he  overheard 
me  tell  Marie  where  we  were  going  this  evening,  and  followed 
— his  success  was  complete,  it  seems,  and  I  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  to  let  him  know  that  I  perceived  and  was  glad 
of  it.     What  else  ?"  she  asked,  gayly. 


LOVERS'   QUARRELS.  239 

"  Your  mother  seemed  to  think  it  was  odd  that  Zedwitz 
always  knew  where  you  were  to  spend  the  evening.  Have 
you  ever  in  any  way  let  him  know,  or " 

"  Really,  this  is  too  much,"  cried  Hildegarde,  angrily ;  "  I 
will  not  be  questioned  in  this  manner — or  on  this  subject " 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Hamilton,  quietly,  "  and  I  resign 
my  most  absurd  office  of  corrector  and  improver.  You  have, 
however,  no  just  cause  for  anger,  for  you  not  only  proposed 
the  plan  yourself,  but  reminded  me  of  my  promise."  He 
leaned  out  of  the  window,  and  had  recourse  again  to  Fra 
Diavolo  and  the  moon. 

"  You  are  a  horrible  tyrant !"  she  exclaimed  after  a  pause, 
"  and  I  suppose,  if  I  leave  your  question  unanswered,  you 
will  think  me  capable  of  making  Count  Zedwitz  acquainted 
with  all  our  walking-parties  !" 

"  What  matters  it  what  I  think?"  said  Hamilton,  without 
turning  round. 

"  Your  question  is  exceedingly  offensive,  and  yet  I  must 
answer  it,  and  tell  you  that  I  am  as  much  surprised  as 
mamma  at  meeting  him  so  often.  If  I  could  avoid  seeing 
him,  I  should  greatly  prefer  it." 

"  Indeed  !"  cried  Hamilton.  "  Then  you  have  no  wish  to 
renew  the — the " 

"  None  whatever,"  replied  Hildegarde,  smiling. 

"  But  if  you  think  so  highly  of  him,"  persisted  Hamilton, 
"  surely  you  must  like  him  I" 

"  Like  him  !"  she  repeated,  "  why,  have  I  not  told  you 
that  I  like  him  exceedingly  ?" 

"  Something  to  that  purport,  certainly,"  said  Hamilton ; 
"  you  are  altogether  inexplicable,  and  I  dare  not  ask  an  ex- 
planation." 

"  You  have  no  right,"  said  Hildegarde  \  "  what  occurred 
before  yesterday  does  not  come  under  your  cognisance." 

"  I  am  completely  at  fault,"  said  Hamilton,  in  a  low  voice, 
as  if  reasoning  with  himself.  "  Zedwitz  told  me  that  you 
had  said  you  liked  him  as  an  acquaintance,  but  nothing  more. 
This,  I  know,  is  not  the  case ;  therefore  there  must  be  some 
misunderstanding — he  suspected  a  prior  attachment,  but  that 
seemed  to  me  improbable." 

"  Rather  say  impossible,"  cried  Hildegarde,  laughing,  "  for 
the  object  of  it  must  have  been  either  Major  Stultz — or  you  I 
ha,  ha,  ha !" 


240  THE  INITIALS. 

Hamilton  did  not  laugh  with  her,  and  another  long  pause 
ensued — his  jealousy,  or,  as  he  to  himself  termed  it,  his 
curiosity,  prompted  him  to  make  another  effort,  and  he  again 
began :  "  I  told  Zedwitz  he  ought  not  to  resign  all  hope  ; 
that  probably  the  fear  of  opposition  on  the  part  of  his  family 
had  influenced  you."  He  stopped,  for  Hildegarde  bit  her 
lip,  and  seemed  agitated.  She  stood  up — sat  down — stood 
up  again — and  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  said,  "  I  do  not 
know  whether  I  had  better  tell  you  all  or  nothing." 

"  Tell  me  all,"  cried  Hamilton,  eagerly  ;  M  no  one  can  feel 
more  interested  than  I  do,  in  everything  that  concerns  you." 

':  The  all  is  easily  told,"  she  said,  slowly — -'  I  have  no  con- 
fession to  make.  You  were  right  in  your  supposition — it 
would  be  dreadful  to  me  to  enter  a  family  unwilling  to 
receive  me,  for  I  am  very  proud,  and  his  mother's  unneces- 
sary haughtiness — rudeness,  I  may  say,  to  us  all  at  Seon, 
showed  me  what  I  might  expect.  It  was  her  evident  avoid- 
ance of  me  that  made  me  first  aware  of  his  intentions." 

"  So,"  Hamilton  almost  whistled,  while  an  indefinable  sen- 
sation of  actual  bodily  pain  passed  through  his  frame,  ':so 
after  all  you  loved  him  !" 

"  No,"  replied  Hildegarde,  turning  away,  "  but  I  believe  I 
could  in  time  have  loved  him." 

"No  doubt,"  said  Hamilton,  sarcasticalty,  ';  with  his 
parents'  consent  the  match  would  be  unexceptionable,  and  I 
only  wonder  you  did  not,  on  the  chance,  make  a  secret 
engagement  with  him.  The  old  Count  is  killing  himself  as 
fast  as  he  can  with  cold  water,  and  were  he  once  out  of  the 
way,  I  suppose  there  would  be  little  further  difficulty.  It  is 
really  a  pity  you  were  so  taken  by  surprise,  that  you  had  not 
time  to  think  of  all  this !" 

Hildegarde's  eyes  flashed,  and,  in  a  voice  almost  choked 
by  contending  emotions,  she  exclaimed :  "  I  deserve  this 
insult  for  trusting  you — these  insidious  expressions  of  con- 
tempt are  more  than  I  can  bear,  and  to  prevent  a  repetition 
of  them,  I  now  release  you  most  willingly  from  your  promise 
of  last  night,  and  request  you  will  in  future  altogether  banish 
me  and  my  faults  from  your  thoughts." 

Hamilton  would  gladly  have  revoked  his  last  speech,  had 
it  been  possible — he  felt  that  anger  and  jealousy  had  dictated 
every  word — but  it  was  too  late ;  Hildegarde  gave  him  no 
time  for  a  recantation,  she  had  left  the  room  with  even  more 


LOVERS'   QUARRELS.  241 

than  her  usual  impetuosity.  He  no  longer  attempted  to 
deceive  himself  as  to  the  nature  of  his  feelings  towards  her ; 
it  only  remained  for  him  to  consider  how  he  should  in  future 
act.  That  she  did  not  care  for  him  was  evident,  and  the 
little  advance  which  he  had  made  in  her  good  opinion  and 
confidence,  he  feared  he  had  now  lost.  For  a  moment  he 
thought  of  a  retreat  to  Vienna,  but  then  the  idea  of  flying 
from  an  incidental  and  perfectly  harmless  flirtation  was  too 
absurd  !  Besides — could  he  hope  that  chance  would  be  again 
so  favourable,  and  place  him  on  the  same  terms  of  intimacy 
with  another  family  ?  It  was  not  to  be  expected ;  so  he 
resolved  to  remain  where  he  was — but  to  employ  his  time 
differently.  He  would  study  more  with  Biedermann — attend 
lectures  at  the  university,  ride,  walk,  call  at  the  English 
Ambassador's,  be  presented  at  court,  make  acquaintance  with 
the  English  in  Munich,  and  accept  evening  invitations. 
Hildegarde's  indifference  should  be  met  with  at  least  appar- 
ent indifference  on  his  part,  and  he  would  take  care  she 
should  never  discover  the  interest  which  he  now  knew  he 
could  not  help  attaching  to  her  most  trifling  actions.  A  low 
murmuring  of  suppressed  voices  from  the  adjoining  room, 
which  he  had  indistinctly  heard,  at  length  ceased  altogether, 
leaving  nothing  but  footsteps  of  an  occasional  passenger 
through  the  solitary  street  to  break  the  silence  of  the  night. 
He  felt  irritated  and  impatient,  and,  hoping  that  a  walk  by 
moonlight  might  have  a  tranquillising  effect,  he  turned 
quickly  from  the  window.  Great  was  his  astonishment  on 
discovering  Crescenz  standing  beside  him — tears  stood  in  her 
eyes,  as  she  laid  her  hand  on  his  arm  to  detain  him,  and  said 
in  a  scarcely  audible  voice,  "  I  must  ask  you  a  question — will 
you  answer  me?" 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Hamilton,  much  surprised. 

"  Did  you  tell  Major  Stultz  this  evening  that  you  had  never 
admired — never  liked  me?" 

"  No — I  rather  think  I  said  I  admired  both  you  and  your 
sister  exceedingly." 

"  I  know  you  did,"  cried  Crescenz,  "  I  heard  what  you 
said,  and  remember  it  perfectly — and  now  he — he  wants 
to  persuade  me  that  I  am  mistaken,  and  assures  me  you 
greatly  prefer  Hildegarde,  and  that  you  said  so  to  him  most 
explicitly  this  evening !" 

"  Must  I  then  account  for  every  idle  word  !"  cried  Hamil- 
l       a  21 


242  THE  INITIALS. 

ton,  impatiently.  "  Surely  it  ought  to  be  a  matter  of  indif- 
ference to  you  what  I  said  !" 

"  Hush — do  not  speak  so  loud — he  is  there." 

"Who?" 

"  Major  Stultz.  He  is  waiting  for  me.  I  have  such  reli- 
ance on  you,  that  I  have  told  him  I  cannot  believe  what  he 
has  said.  And  now  answer  my  question  quickly.  Have  you 
ceased  to  care  for  me  ?  and  do  you  prefer  Hildegarde  ?" 

"  Pshaw,"  cried  Hamilton,  taking  up  his  hat,  and  endeav- 
ouring to  conceal  his  embarrassment,  "  I  like  you  both  and 
admire  you  both;  but  when  Major  Stultz  was  jealous  this 
evening,  I  gave,  of  course,  the  preference  to  Hildegarde." 

"  Is  this  the  very  truth  ?"  asked  Crescenz. 

Her  manner  was  unusually  serious,  but  Hamilton  was  not 
in  the  habit  of  paying  much  attention  to  anything  she  said, 
and  answered  with  a  careless  laugh,  "  What  importance  you 
attach  to  such  a  trifle !" 

"  If  you  can  laugh,  I  have  indeed  mistaken  you  !" 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  exceedingly  bored. 

"  At  the  beginning  of  our  acquaintance,"  said  Crescenz, 
almost  whispering,  "  Hildegarde  said  you  were  amusing  your- 
self at  my  expense ;  this  I  am  sure  was  not  the  case ;  but 
Major  Stultz  not  only  says  that  you  never  cared  for  me,  but 
insists  that  you  have  openly  acknowledged  a  preference  for 
Hildegarde." 

"  And  if  this  were  true?"  said  Hamilton,  twirling  his  hat 
on  the  end  of  his  cane. 

"If  it  be — I — can — never  trust  any  man  again  !" 

"  A  most  excellent  general  rule,  at  all  events ;  we  are  in 
fact  not  worthy  of  trust,  and  your  sister  says  I  am  not  better 
than  others,  you  know !" 

"  Is  this  your  answer  ?"  asked  Crescenz. 

"  If  you  will  consider  it  one  I  shall  be  infinitely  obliged  to 
you,  fori  am  really  at  a  loss  what  to  say." 

"  It  is  enough,"  she  said,  turning  away. 

"  Stay  !"  cried  Hamilton,  perceiving  at  length  that  some- 
thing unusual  had  occurred.  "Stay — and  tell  me  quickly 
what  is  the  matter.  What  have  you  been  saying  to  Major 
Stultz?" 

"  He  accused  me  of  liking  some — other — better  than  I  liked 
him — and  I  did  not  deny  it ;  he  named  you — and — and " 

"  I  understand,"  said    Hamilton,  quickly ;  "  and  he  told 


LOVERS'   QUARRELS.  243 

you  that  you  were  slighted.  Come,  I  will  explain  everything 
to  him  satisfactorily." 

They  entered  the  next  room,  but  Major  Stultz  was  no 
longer  there. 

"  He  has  gone  to  mamma  !"  cried  Crescenz,  clasping  her 
hands,  and  then  sitting  down,  she  added,  with  a  sort  of  des- 
perate resignation,  "  I  don't  care  what  happens  now !" 

"  But  I  do,"  cried  Hamilton.  "  I  will  not  be  the  cause, 
however  innocent,  of  separating  you  and  Major  Stultz.  I 
see  I  must  go  to  him  this  moment  and  take  the  whole  blame 
on  myself;  if  you  afterwards  refuse  to  fulfil  your  engage- 
ment with  him,  that  is  your  affair.  This  must,  however,  be 
the  very  last  time  we  ever  speak  on  this  subject.  It  seems 
I  must  pay  dearly  for  my  thoughtlessness ;  but  it  will  be  a 
lesson  which  I  am  not  likely  to  forget  as  long  as  I  live." 

At  one  of  the  windows  of  the  corridor  Madame  Rosenberg 
and  Hildegarde  were  standing  —the  former  was  speaking 
loudly  and  angrily.  "  I  never  knew  anything  so  absurd  as 
Crescenz's  conduct !  To  choose  Mr.  Hamilton  of  all  people 
in  the  world  for  the  object  of  a  sentimental  love!  If  she 
had  not  been  a  simpleton,  she  might  have  easily  perceived 
that  he  thinks  of  everything  rather  than  of  such  nonsense. 
As  to  what  the  Major  hinted  about  his  having  said  that  he 
liked  you,  that  was  said  at  my  particular  request ;  so  don't 
you  begin  to  have  fancies  like  Crescenz." 

"  There  is  not  the  slightest  danger,"  said  Hildegarde,  with 
a  scornful  smile. 

"  Where  is  Major  Stultz?"  said  Hamilton,  hastily  opening 
the  hall-door. 

"  He  is  gone  home,  I  am  sorry  to  say.  Oh,  Mr.  Hamilton, 
this  is  a  most  unpleasant  business  !  If  Crescenz's  marriage 
should  be  broken  off  now,  it  will  be  an  actual  disgrace." 

"  It  will  not  be  broken  off.     I  can  explain  everything." 

"  Let  me  give  you  a  hint  what  to  say,"  cried  Madame 
Rosenberg,  detaining  him,  "  for  he  is  exceedingly  angry,  and 
says  we  have  all  been  deceiving  him.  Can  you  not  just  set 
matters  right — say  that  you  have  paid  Crescenz  some  atten- 
tions, and  that  you  did  admire  her  some  time  ago  !" 

"  Of  course  I  shall  say  that,"  replied  Hamilton,  endeavour- 
ing to  get  away. 

"  Say,  too,  that  she  does  not  really  care  at  all  for  you,  and 
was  only  trying  to  make  him  jealous  this  evening  because  he 


244  THE  INITIALS. 

called  her  a  coquette.  And  then,  to  frighten  him,  you  may 
as  well  add  that  you  will  renew  your  addresses  to-morrow  if 
he  do  not  at  once  make  up  his  quarrel  with  her." 

"  I  shall  tell  him  the  truth  and  blame  myself — even  more 
than  I  deserve,"  said  Hamilton,  closing  the  door  and  run- 
ning down  stairs. 

"  He  certainly  is  an  excellent  young  man !"  exclaimed 
Madame  Rosenberg,  "  and  notwithstanding  his  youth,  I  see  I 
may  transfer  the  arrangement  of  this  disagreeable  affair  to 
him.  At  all  events,  I  can  do  nothing  more  to-night,  and 
may  as  well  go  to  bed.  Tell  Crescenz  I  do  not  wish  to  see 
her  until  to-morrow.  What  is  said  cannot  be  unsaid,  and 
scolding  now  would  be  useless.  AVhat  will  your  father  say 
when  he  hears  what  she  has  done  ?" 

Hamilton  was  longer  absent  than  he  had  expected.  He 
had  overtaken  Major  Stultz  just  as  he  was  about  to  enter  his 
lodgings,  had  walked  up  and  down  the  street  with  him  more 
than  an  hour  in  earnest  conversation,  and  had  afterwards  ac- 
companied him  to  his  rooms.  It  was  past  midnight  as  he 
quietly  entered  the  house  by  means  of  the  latch-key  given 
him  by  Madame  Rosenberg,  whose  voice  he  heard  calling 
him  the  moment  he  had  opened  the  door,  and  immediately 
after,  her  husband,  in  a  long  flowered  cotton  dressing-gown 
and  slippers,  appeared  and  invited  him  to  enter  their  room. 
Hamilton  hesitated  ;  but  on  being  again  called  by  Madame 
Rosenberg  he  courageously  advanced  A  few  oblique  rays 
of  moonlight  and  a  dimly-burning  night-lamp  contended  for 
the  honour  of  lighting  the  apartment  and  showing  Hamilton 
a  chair  near  Madame  Rosenberg's  bed,  which  she  requested 
him  to  occupy  while  he  related  circumstantially  where  he 
had  overtaken  Major  Stultz,  what  he  had  said  to  him,  what 
Major  Stultz  had  answered,  and  what  chance  there  was  of 
his  forgiving  and  forgetting  Crescenz's  sentimental  confes- 
sion. Hamilton  related  as  much  as  he  thought  necessary, 
and  then  said  he  was  the  bearer  of  a  letter. 

"  A  letter !  give  it  to  me ;  that  will  explain  all,"  cried 
Madame  Rosenberg. 

"It  is  for — for  Mademoiselle  Crescenz,"  said  Hamilton, 
hesitating. 

"  No  matter ;  on  such  an  occasion  parents  have  a  right  to 
make  themselves  acquainted  with  the  true  state  of  the  case  ; 
besides,  I  don't  quite  trust  Crescenz  just  now,  although  her 


LOVERS'   QUARRELS.  245 

father,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  has  lectured  her  severely 
while  you  were  absent.  Franz,  light  the  taper,  and  let  me 
see  what  the  Major  has  written." 

Hamilton  most  unwillingly  gave  up  the  unsealed  letter 
committed  to  his  charge,  and  watched  Madame  Rosenberg 
with  some  irritation,  as  she,  with  evident  pleasure,  perused  it. 
A  more  extraordinary  night-dress  he  had  never  seen  than 
that  on  which  the  light  of  the  taper  now  fell ;  he  was,  as 
maybe  remembered  from  his  remarks  at  Seon,  rather  fastid- 
ious on  the  subject  of  night-caps.  Madame  Rosenberg's  was 
interesting  from  the  peculiarity  of  its  form,  resembling  a 
paper  cornet,  the  open  part  next  her  face  being  ornamented 
by  a  sort  of  flounce  of  broad  lace,  and  the  whole  kept  on 
her  head  by  a  foulard  kerchief  tied  under  her  chin.  She 
wore  a  jacket  of  red  printed  calico,  of  what  she  would  her- 
self have  called  a  Turkish  pattern,  the  sleeves  of  which  were 
enormously  ample  at  the  shoulders,  proving  that  the  fabri- 
cation was  not  of  recent  date.  Her  husband  held  the  taper, 
looked  over  her  shoulder,  and  seemed  exceedingly  pleased 
with  the  contents  of  the  letter,  which  Madame  Rosenberg 
returned  to  Hamilton,  saying,  "  I  perceive  you  have  very 
nearly  said  what  I  recommended,  and  we  are  very  much 
obliged  to  you.  It  really  would  have  been  a  most  unpleas- 
ant business  had  this  marriage  been  broken  off,  and  the 
Major  more  than  hinted  he  would  do  so." 

"  You  are  detaining  Mr.  Hamilton,  my  dear  Babette,"  ob- 
served Mr.  Rosenberg,  mildly. 

She  laughed — pulled  and  thumped  her  pillows,  and  again 
wished  him  good-night. 

Hamilton  found  the  door  of  Crescenz's  room  open,  she  and 
her  sister  had  evidently  expected  him — they  were  seated  at 
the  window,  and  either  for  the  purpose  of  enjoying  the 
moonlight,  or  as  Hamilton  afterwards  supposed,  to  make 
their  features  less  distinct,  they  had  extinguished  their  can- 
dle. Hildegarde  pushed  back  her  chair,  Crescenz  hung  her 
head  at  his  approach.  "  I  have  brought  you  a  letter,"  he 
said  to  the  latter,  "  which  I  hope  will  give  you  pleasure. 
Major  Stultz  will  be  here  early  to-morrow,  and  trusts  in  the 
meantime  you  will  try  to  forget  all  that  has  passed  between 
you  this  evening.  He  sees  that  his  absurd  jealousy  was 
enough  to  provoke  you  to  say  all,  and  more  too,  than  you 
have  said  to  him,  and  he  is  ready  to  believe  that  you  spoke 


246  THE  INITIALS. 

under  the  influence  of  extreme  irritation.  In  short,  he  is 
sincerely  attached  to  you,  and  it  will  be  your  fault  if  a  per- 
fect reconciliation  do  not  take  place  to-morrow." 

"  I  suppose  he  must  have  been  very  angry,"  said  Crescenz, 
in  a  low  voice,  while  she  twisted  the  letter  round  in  her 
fingers.  "  I  suppose  he  must  have  been  very  angry,  as  you 
remained  out  so  long." 

"  Yes,  at  first ;  but  then  I  told  him  he  had  no  right  to  be 
angry  with  you  because  you  happened  to  be  loved  by  others." 

"  Indeed  !     Did  you  say  that  ?"  cried  Crescenz. 

"  That  is,"  said  Hildegarde,  with  a  slight  sneer,  "  you 
have  said  exactly  what  mamma  recommended." 

Hamilton  felt  extremely  angry,  but  resolved  not  to  let 
Hildegarde  perceive  it.  He  answered  calmly,  though  a  slight 
frown  contracted  his  eyebrows  :  "No,  mademoiselle — not  ex- 
actly— for  I  said  only  what  was  the  truth."  While  he  spoke, 
as  if  to  brave  her,  he  seated  himself  deliberately  on  the  chair 
beside  Crescenz,  and  took  her  hand,  while  he  added  :  "  I  told 
Major  Stultz  how  much  I  admired  you,  how  thoroughly 
gentle  and  forgiving  you  were ;  but  I  explained  to  him  also, 
without  reserve,  my  own  position  in  the  world,  and  all  the 
miseries  entailed  on  a  younger  son  in  England."  Hamilton 
here  explained  at  some  length  the  difference  between  the 
equal  division  of  property  among  children  so  general  in  Ger- 
many, and  the  apparently  unjust  privileges  of  primogeniture 
in  England ;  dwelt  long  and  feelingly  on  the  struggles  and 
vexations  of  a  younger  son  brought  up  in  luxury,  and  then 
cast  with  all  his  expensive  habits  in  comparative  poverty  on 
the  world ;  the  necessity  of  pushing  himself  forward  by  his 
talents  ;  the  impossibility  of  an  early  marriage  !  He  spoke 
long  and  eloquently,  and  made  an  evident  impression  on  both 
his  hearers.  Crescenz's  tears  fell  fast  on  the  letter,  which 
she  had  unconsciously  crumpled  in  her  hand,  without  having 
thought  it  worthy  of  perusal.  Hildegarde  leaned  on  a  small 
work-table,  her  eyes  fixed  intently  on  Hamilton,  her  lips 
apart,  and  an  expression  of  strong  interest  pervading  her 
whole  form  ;  she  followed  him  with  her  eyes,  but  remained 
immovable  as  he  rose  to  leave  them,  and  watched  with  what 
Hamilton  thought  a  look  of  subdued  anger,  while  he  pressed 
Crescenz's  hands  in  both  his,  whispering  his  wishes  for  her 
happiness,  and  his  hopes  that  she  would  not  misunderstand 
him  in  future. 


THE  CHURCHYARD.  247 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   CHURCHYARD. 


Hamilton  experienced  a  sort  of  satisfaction  in  avoiding 
both  sisters  for  some  time — the  idea  that  he  was  endeavour- 
ing to  cure  Crescenz  of  her  too  evident  partiality  was  almost 
sublime,  and  would  probably  have  turned  his  youthful  head 
had  not  Hildegarde  formed  a  counterpoise.  Her  former  dis- 
like to  him  seemed  to  have  returned  with  redoubled  force. 
She  scarcely  looked  at,  never  spoke  to  him,  and  seemed  not 
in  the  least  to  observe  that  he  no  longer  passed  the  evenings 
at  home.  He  had  found  no  difficulty  in  disposing  of  his  time  ; 
introductions  to  a  few  German  families  had  been  followed  by 
general  invitations,  of  which  he  availed  himself  at  first  with 
eager  pleasure,  but  soon  afterwards  with  a  feeling  of  inde- 
scribable ennui;  he  missed  Hildegarde's  society,  and  began 
to  consider  in  what  way  he  could  imperceptibly  renew  their 
former  intimacy ;  but  this  was  more  difficult  than  he  had 
imagined,  for  the  sisters  seemed  to  have  formed  an  alliance 
offensive  and  defensive  against  him.  Crescenz  no  longer  sang 
when  learning  to  make  pies  and  puddings  in  the  kitchen  ; 
and  if  he  looked  in,  she  retreated  behind  the  dresser.  Hil- 
degarde's door  was  now  always  shut,  perhaps  because  the 
weather  had  become  colder,  but  Hamilton  imagined  it  was 
to  prevent  his  leaning  against  the  door-posts,  to  watch  her 
giving  her  brothers  instruction  until  the  dinner  was  an- 
nounced. The  rarity  and  shortness  of  his  present  inter- 
course served  but  to  keep  her  in  his  memory,  and  perpetually 
renew  his  regret  for  their  last  most  unnecessary  quarrel. 

One  cold  fine  morning,  as  he  was  leaving  the  house  to 
keep  an  appointment  with  Zedwitz,  he  perceived  her  stand- 
ing with  Crescenz  and  her  father  at  the  passage-window 
looking  into  the  court.  They  were  dressed  in  deep  mourn- 
ing, and  held  in  their  hands  large  wreaths  of  ivy,  inter- 
spersed with  clusters  of  red  berries  ;  they  contemplated  them 
with  evident  satisfaction,  while  their  father  spoke  so  earnestly 
that  Hamilton's  approach  was  at  first  unperceived,  and  he 


248  THE  INITIALS. 

heard  Mr.  Rosenberg  say,  "  You  can  easily  imagine  why  I 
prefer  going  alone,  and  at  some  other  time.  As  long  as  you 
were  at  school,  gratitude  for  my  wife's  attention  forced  me 
to  accompany  her  to  the  churchyard — the  task  of  placing 
the  wreaths  now  devolves  on  you,  and  I  wish  you  both  to 
thank  her  as  she  deserves.  You  will  not  surely  find  it  dim- 
cult  to  comply  with  my  request." 

"  I   hope  nothing  unexpected   has  occurred "  began 

Hamilton,  looking  at  the  sable  garments  of  the  sisters. 

"  Nothing  whatever,"  replied  Mr.  Rosenberg,  smiling. 
"  It  is  All  Saints'  Day,  and  my  girls  are  going  to  place 
wreaths  on  their  mother's  grave.  I  suppose  you  too  are  on 
the  way  to  the  churchyard,  like  all  the  rest  of  the  world  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Hamilton,  "  why  should  I  go  there?" 

"  I  don't  know,  indeed,"  replied  Mr.  Rosenberg,  "  except- 
ing as  a  stranger  it  might  interest  you  to  see  the  decorated 
graves." 

"  If  there  be  anything  to  see,  I  shall  certainty  ride  to  the 
churchyard  after  I  have  kept  my  appointment  with  Zedwitz," 
said  Hamilton,  stooping  to  examine  the  wreath  which  hung 
on  Hildegarde's  arm. 

"  My  wife  surprised  Hildegarde  with  this  wreath  and  a 
bouquet  of  superb  dahlias  this  morning,  and  I  have  just 
been  telling  her  that  her  mother's  grave  has  been  decorated 
every  year  in  the  same  manner." 

"  I  am  fully  aware  of  my  step-mother's  kindness,"  said 
Hildegarde,  with  some  embarrassment,  "  and  am  sorry  I  ever 
did  her  injustice." 

"  That's  right,  Hildegarde,"  replied  her  father.  "  Now  I 
know  you  will  say  all  I  wish — to-morrow  we  can  go  alone 
together,  but  to-day  you  must  accompany  your  step- 
mother." 

Hamilton  desired  his  servant  to  meet  him  at  the  church- 
yard, and  rode  off  to  the  barracks ;  he  had  no  difficulty  in 
persuading  Zedwitz  to  accompany  him,  after  having  told  him 
Hildegarde  was  there.  "  I  will  go  to  meet  the  living,"  he 
said,  "  but  not  to  pray  for  the  dead,  inasmuch  as  I  not  only 
doubt  the  efficacy  of  my  prayers,  but  the  existence  of  pur- 
gatory." 

"  Hush  !"  said  Hamilton,  laughing  ;  "  no  good  Catholics 
should  entertain  a  doubt  on  the  subject.  I  hope  I  shall  not 
find  you  as  unbelieving  as  my  friend  Biedermann,  who  has 


THE   CHURCHYARD.  249 

substituted  philosophy  for  religion,  and  talks  of  the  soul  re- 
solving itself  into  the  eternal  essence  after  its  separation 
frem  the  body." 

"  No,"  said  Zedwitz,  "lama  good  Catholic,  and  believe 
more  than  many  professors  of  my  religion.  I  go  to  mass 
every  Sunday  and  holiday,  and  my  mother  takes  care  that  I 
confess  my  sins  once  a  year  at  least." 

"  That  same  confession  must  be  rather  a  bore,"  observed 
Hamilton. 

"  Sometimes — rather,"  replied  Zedwitz,  making  his  horse 
dance  along  the  road. 

"  It  seems  as  if  all  Munich  had  turned  out  in  mourning," 
said  Hamilton  ;  "  the  crowd,  too,  reminds  me  of  the  October 
fete,  but  the  faces  do  not  exactly  suit  the  garments.  Is  it 
not  necessary  to  look  a  little  sorrowful  on  such  an  occasion?" 

"  How  can  you  be  so  unreasonable  !"  exclaimed  Zedwitz ; 
"  many  of  these  persons  are  about  to  visit  the  graves  of  re- 
lations who  have  been  dead  a  dozen  years !  For  my  part,  I 
find  something  respectable,  almost  praiseworthy,  in  the  dedi 
cation  of  one  day  in  the  year  to  the  memory  of  the  dead, 
even  though  tearlessly  spent." 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and  the  idea 
of  praying  for  their  souls  is  poetical  in  the  extreme.  Had 
I  been  a  Catholic,  that  is  one  of  the  tenets  I  should  most 
tenaciously  have  believed.  But,"  he  resumed  after  a  long 
pause,  "  it  seems  odd  that  All  Saints'  Day  instead  of  All 
Souls'  Day,  should  be  chosen — can  you  tell  me  why  ?" 

"  No,"  replied  Zedwitz,  "  you  must  ask  someone  better  in- 
formed on  these  subjects  than  I  am ;  all  I  know  is,  that  the 
observance  itself  was  instituted  by  one  of  the  popes  about 
twelve  hundred  years  ago." 

"  But  I  should  have  thought  that  as  none  of  the  relatives 
of  these  people  have  been  saints — to-morrow,  being  All 
Souls'  Day,  would  be  the  proper  day  to  choose." 

"  Very  likely,"  answered  Zedwitz,  laughing.  "  I  have  never 
thought  about  the  matter,  but  I  suppose  the  first  of  November 
is  what  you  would  in  England  call  the  most  fashionable  day. 
Ask  my  mother  the  first  time  you  see  her,  and  she  will  tell 
you  everything  about  it.  By-the-by,  when  do  you  intend  to 
visit  us  ?" 

"  As  soon  as  I  have  a  second  horse  and  a  sledge.  I  enjoy 
the  idea  of  sledging  so  much  that  I  wish  with  all  my  heart 


250  THE  INITIALS. 

it  would  begin  to  snow  to-morrow.  But  here  we  are,  and  I 
hope  Hildegarde  may  prove  a  very  loadstone  to  you,  other- 
wise we  shall  scarcely  find  her  among  all  these  people." 

The  crowd  was  immense,  and  they  made  their  way  slowly 
through  it,  but  Hamilton  was  interested  in  the  novelty  of 
the  scene ;  his  companion's  eyes  wandered  toward  the  dif- 
ferent groups  of  dark  moving  figures,  who  occasionally 
stopped  to  sprinkle  the  graves  of  departed  friends  with 
water  placed  near  for  the  purpose.  Hamilton  was  occupied 
with  the  tombstones  and  crosses,  which  were  variously  and 
tastefully  decorated  with  wreaths,  festoons,  bouquets  of  flow- 
ers, and  coloured  lamps.  Even  the  graves  of  the  poorest 
were  strewn  with  charcoal,  and  ornamented  with  red  berries 
and  moss,  while  tearful  groups  surrounding  those  newly 
made,  gave  an  additional  shade  of  solemnity  to  a  religious 
rite  which  Hamilton  had  been  taught  to  consider  superflu- 
ous. 

The  attempt  to  find  the  Rosenbergs,  or  rather  Hildegarde, 
among  the  moving  multitude,  was  long  fruitless,  and  might 
have  proved  altogether  so,  had  not  they  met  the  Hoffmanns 
and  Raimund,  who  led  them  at  once  to  the  object  of  their 
search.  Madame  Rosenberg  was  preparing  to  depart,  and 
held  in  her  hand  a  brush  dipped  in  water,  which  she  shook 
over  the  grave.  Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  followed  her  ex- 
ample, before  they  spoke  to  Zedwitz  or  Hamilton ;  but  di- 
rectly they  laid  it  aside,  the  two  boys,  finding  themselves 
unwatched,  began  a  contest  for  it,  which  became  so  loud, 
that  their  mother,  turning  quickly  towards  them,  and  per- 
ceiving their  irreverent  conduct,  seized  the  subject  of  dis- 
pute, and  bestowing  a  thump  upon  each,  shoved  them  on 
before  her,  while  she  exclaimed  :  "  I  ought  to  have  left  you 
at  home,  you  tiresome  children  ;  you  have  never  ceased 
plaguing  me  since  we  came  out.  Only  imagine,"  she  said, 
addressing  Hamilton  ;  "  Gustle  was  twice  nearly  run  over, 
and  Peppy  fell  so  often,  that  the  Major  was  at  last  obliged 
to  carry  him  !" 

Zedwitz  and  Raimund  had  immediately  joined  Hildegarde. 
Raimund,  whose  mouth  had  been  distended  by  a  frightful 
yawn  when  they  had  met  him,  was  now  smiling  radiantly, 
and  evidently  endeavouring  to  monopolise  his  cousin,  who, 
however,  seemed  rather  indisposed  to  listen  to  him,  and  be- 
stowed her  attentions  almost  exclusively  on  Zedwitz.     Rai- 


GERMAN  SOUP.  251 

mund  at  length  rejoined  his  betrothed,  saying,  loud  enough 
for  Hamilton  to  hear,  "  Hildegarde  knows  what  she  is  about ; 
when  Zedwitz  is  present  she  has  neither  word  nor  look  for 
her  poor  cousin !" 

"  You  get  words  and  looks  enough  from  her  every  even- 
ing when  she  is  with  us,"  observed  Madame  de  Hoffmann, 
with  some  bitterness. 

Hamilton  turned  round,  and  saw  Mademoiselle  de  Hoff- 
mann's glance  of  reproach  towards  her  mother,  and  Rai- 
mund's  confusion.  The  words  "  every  evening"  grated  on 
his  ear,  and  before  he  could  arrange  the  unpleasant  ideas 
which  had  at  once  entered  his  mind,  they  had  reached  the 
churchyard  gate,  and  Zedwitz,  approaching  him,  whispered 
hurriedly,  "  I  would  not  lose  this  walk  home  for  any  consid- 
eration. Your  advice  about  Hildegarde  was  excellent,  and  I 
am  determined  to  follow  it.  Pray  let  your  servant  take 
charge  of  my  horse." 

"  My  advice !"  repeated  Hamilton,  with  a  forced  smile, 
but  Zedwitz  had  left  him,  and  the  crowd  had  closed  between 
them.  Murmuring  some  directions  to  his  servant,  Hamilton 
sprang  upon  his  horse — the  animal,  always  restive,  no  sooner 
felt  his  impetuous  spring  than  he  plunged  violently,  and 
on  receiving  an  angry  check,  reared — lost  his  balance — 
and  fell  backwards — rolling  over  his  rider  to  the  horror  of 
all  the  bystanders. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

GERMAN   SOUP. 


Hamilton  was  taken  up  senseless.  Zedwitz  rushed  to 
his  assistance.  Madame  Rosenberg  could  not  leave  her 
children,  but  was  obliged  to  hold  them  fast  by  their  hands. 
Major  Stultz  endeavoured  with  a  half-offended  air  to  tran- 
quillise  Crescenz,  whose  screams  had  begun  to  subside  into  a 
flood  of  tears.  Raimund  coolly  exclaimed  to  Mademoiselle 
de  Hoffmann  that  Hamilton  had  been  aware  of  the  vicious- 
ness  of  the  horse  when  he  purchased  it,  but  had  imagined 
himself  too  good  a  rider  to  be  thrown.     Hildegarde,  having 


252  THE  INITIALS. 

obtained  a  flacon  de  l'eau  dc  Cologne  from  a  stranger,  was 
soon  beside  Zedwitz,  endeavouring  to  restore  Hamilton  to 
consciousness ;  he  very  soon  opened  his  eyes,  looked  around 
him,  and  on  Zedwitz  asking  him  where  he  was  hurt,  began 
to  speak  incoherently  in  English. 

"  We  must  get  a  carriage  and  take  him  home  as  soon  as 
possible,"  said  Zedwitz ;  "  he  seems  more  seriously  injured 
than  I  imagined  from  the  slight  wound  on  his  temple." 

"  Well,  this  is  really  dreadful !"  exclaimed  Madame  Rosen- 
berg ;  "  and  there  is  not  a  soul  in  our  house,  for  I  gave  Wal- 
burg  leave  to  go  out.  Here  is  the  key  of  the  door — what 
can  I  do  with  the  boys?" 

"  Let  me  take  charge  of  them,"  said  Madame  de  Hoff- 
mann. 

"  I  am  as  much  obliged  to  you  for  the  offer  as  if  I  could 
accept  it,"  replied  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  but  unfortunately 
they  are  so  unruly  that  I  cannot  leave  them  with  you  more 
than  with  their  sisters  and  the  Major.  There  is  no  help  for 
it.  Hildegarde,  you  must  go  in  the  carriage,  and  send  old 
Hans  directly  for  Doctor  Berger." 

"  May  I  not  go,  too  ?"  said  Crescenz,  timidly  ;  "  I  am  so 
tired !" 

"  Oh,  of  course,"  replied  her  mother,  ironically  ;  "  another 
fit  of  screaming  would  greatly  benefit  Mr.  Hamilton.  Here, 
Hildegarde,  take  the  key  and  be  off." 

On  their  way  home,  Hamilton  alone  was  loquacious ;  he 
spoke  English  incessantly,  sometimes  murmuring,  sometimes 
vehemently.  Hildegarde  blushed  deeply,  and  appeared  un- 
usually embarrassed,  which  Zedwitz  interpreted  to  his  own 
advantage,  totally  unconscious  that  she  understood  the  rav- 
ings of  Hamilton,  which  had  already  revealed  much  he  was 
anxious  to  conceal  from  her ;  his  last  thought  before  his  fall 
had  been  of  her,  his  last  feeling  annoyance  on  her  account, 
and  he  now  unreservedly  poured  forth  both  with  wild  volu- 
bility. 

"  I  think  we  had  better  bind  a  handkerchief  over  his  fore- 
head," said  Hildegarde  at  last.  "  The  motion  of  the  car- 
riage has  made  the  blood  flow." 

"  I  ought  to  have  thought  of  that,"  said  Zedwitz,  assisting 
her ;  "  he  does  not  seem  to  know  either  of  us,  and  evidently 
thinks  you  some  other  person.  Who  is  this  Helene  of  whom 
he  is  speaking  now?" 


GERMAN  SOUP.  253 

"  Some  one  in  England,  I  suppose." 

"  Poor  fellow  !  most  probably  he  fancies  himself  at  home. 
I  am  very  glad  to  perceive  that  he  is  beginning  to  be  ex- 
hausted. There  is  something  frightful  in  this  sort  of  raving, 
even  when  one  does  not  understand  it." 

"  Do  you  think  there  is  any  danger  to  be  apprehended?" 
asked  Hildegarde,  calmly. 

"  I  hope  not ;  but  his  brain  must  be  affected  in  some  way, 
or  he  would  not  talk  as  he  has  done." 

Directly  on  reaching  the  house  they  sent  for  Doctor  Ber- 
ger,  who  came,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Biedermann  ;  the  latter 
declaring  at  once  his  intention  of  remaining  to  take  care  of 
his  friend.  Hamilton  looked  inquiringly  from  one  to  the 
other  as  they  entered  the  room,  and  then  said  quickly  in 
German,  "  I  know  you." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  the  Doctor,  adjusting  his 
spectacles,  and  turning  to  Biedermann,  he  whispered,  "  They 
have  been  unnecessarily  alarmed,  it  seems." 

"  Yes,  I  know  you.  You  are  the  ugly  old  doctor  with  the 
protruding  chin  who  married  Crescenz,  after  she  had  walked 
by  moonlight  at  Seon." 

The  Doctor  shook  his  head  and  turned  to  Zedwitz  for  an 
explanation  of  the  accident.  This  was  quickly  given,  and 
he  and  Hildegarde  waited  with  evident  anxiety  to  hear  the 
Doctor's  opinion.  It  was  not  so  favourable  as  they  had  ex- 
pected— -severe  remedies  were  necessary,  and  a  fortnight 
elapsed  before  Hamilton  was  pronounced  quite  out  of  dan- 
ger. During  this  time  nothing  could  equal  the  attention 
bestowed  on  him  by  the  Rosenberg  family  and  his  friend 
Biedermann,  who  passed  every  night  on  a  sofa  in  his  room. 
Zedwitz,  too,  spent  daily  hours  with  him — perhaps  the  visits 
of  the  latter  were  not  quite  disinterested,  for  he  often  met 
Hildegarde,  who  was  employed  to  amuse  Hamilton,  as  he 
was  neither  allowed  to  hear  reading,  nor  to  attempt  to  read 
himself.  As  soon  as  he  was  pronounced  convalescent,  he  had 
a  constant  succession  of  visitors  every  day  ;  not  only  his  own 
acquaintance,  but  everyone  who  had  seen  him  with  the 
Rosenbergs  ;  he  felt  at  times  perhaps  quite  as  much  bored  as 
obliged,  and  remembered  occasionally  with  regret  that  more 
dangerous  part  of  his  illness  when  Hildegarde  had  sat  alone 
in  his  darkened  chamber,  and  Crescenz  gently  opened  the 
door  every  quarter  of  an  hour  to  ask  if  he  were  better — her 


254  THE  INITIALS. 

mother,  at  Major  Stultz's  instigation,  having  strictly  forbid- 
den her  to  enter  the  room.  Even  the  fussy  visits  of  Madame 
Rosenberg,  who  invariably  insisted  on  half  making  his  bed 
and  thumping  all  his  pillows,  were  recollected  with  pleasure, 
and  he  wondered  at  the  impatience  with  which  he  had  re- 
ceived these  well-meant  civilities,  having  once  forgotten  him- 
self so  far  as  to  wish  in  very  correct  German  that  the  devil 
would  come  in  ipsissimd  persona  and  take  her  out  of  his 
presence !  which  speech  had  so  alarmed  her  for  the  state  of 
his  brain  that  she  had  immediately  sent  off  for  the  doctor. 

The  period  of  convalescence  was  not  without  its  pleasures 
either,  and  Hamilton  knew  how  to  appreciate  them.  Hilde- 
garde  was  obliged  to  read  or  talk  to  him  whenever  he  choose, 
was  forbidden  to  contradict  or  quarrel  with  him,  and,  when 
on  one  day  he  complained  of  cold  hands,  she  had  been  or- 
dered to  knit  cuffs  for  him,  and  had  done  so  with  apparent 
pleasure — then  she  had  learned  to  play  chess  in  order  to  take 
Biedermann's  place  when  he  could  not  come,  and  had  to  sub- 
mit to  be  checkmated  as  often  as  Hamilton  pleased  without 
losing  her  temper.  He  had  insensibly  grown  tyrannical,  too 
— upbraided  her  if  she  remained  long  out  walking — refused 
to  eat  his  dinner  if  she  did  not  bring  it  to  him.  and  insisted 
on  the  whole  family  spending  the  evenings  in  his  room, 
thereby  effectually  preventing  her  from  going  to  the  Hoff- 
manns. 

Among  Hamilton's  most  constant  visitors  was  Madame 
Berger,  and  she  was  always  welcome,  for  she  amused  him.  "  I 
should  like  to  know,"  she  said  one  day,  seating  herself  on 
the  sofa  beside  him,  "  I  should  like  to  know  how  long  you 
intend  to  play  invalid?  It  is  astonishing  how  desponding, 
almost  pusillanimous,  you  men  become  when  you  are  in  the 
least  ill  !  I  lose  all  patience  when  I  see  the  Doctor  feeling 
his  own  pulse  fifty  times  a  day,  and  consulting  half  a  dozen 
good  friends  if  his  heart  beat  a  little  quicker  than  usual — 
while  I  have  palpitations  every  day  of  my  life,  and  never 
think  of  complaining  or  fancying  that  I  have  a  diseased 
heart!  My  father  was  even  worse  than  the  Doctor;  if  he 
had  but  a  cold  in  his  head,  he  immediately  mounted  a  black 
silk  night-cap  with  a  tassel  pendant,  wrapped  himself  up  in 
his  dressing-gown,  and  wandered  about  the  house  discovering 
all  sorts  of  things  not  intended  for  his  eyes  or  ears,  and  find- 
ing fault  with  everybody  and  everything  that  came  in  his 


GERMAN  SOUP.  255 

way,  although  at  other  times  the  best-natured  man  imagi- 
nable. He  had  a  habit,  too,  on  such  occasions,  of  eating  a 
bowl  of  soup  every  half  hour,  and  then  imagining  it  was  ill- 
ness which  prevented  him  from  enjoying  his  meals !" 

Hamilton  laughed,  and  at  the  same  moment  Hildegarde 
entered  the  room,  carrying  a  tray,  on  which  was  placed  a 
double-handled  china  basin,  the  contents  of  which,  notwith- 
standing the  cover,  emitted  a  most  savoury  odour  ;  the  little 
slice  of  toasted  bread  on  a  plate  beside  it  seeming  intended 
to  correct  any  doubts  which  might  arise  as  to  its  being  an 
invalid  soup.  She  placed  it  on  the  table  before  him,  re- 
moved the  cover,  and  stood  in  waiting,  as  he  first  played 
with  the  spoon,  and  then  fastidiously  tasted  it. 

"  You  have  not  prepared  this  for  me  yourself,"  he  said, 
looking  up  discontentedly. 

"  No,"  she  replied  ;  "  I — I  heard  papa's  voice,  and  begged 
Walburg  to " 

"  I  knew  that,"  cried  Hamilton,  pettishly.  "  Walburg 
always  forgets  the  salt.  Just  taste  it  yourself,  and  you  will 
be  convinced  that  I  cannot  swallow  it  in  its  present  state." 

"  Let  me  try  it,"  cried  Madame  *Berger  ;  "  I  am  an  excel- 
lent judge  of  soup,  have  learned  cookery,  and  all  that  sort 
of  thing.  Let  me  see,"  said  she,  playing  with  the  spoon  ex- 
actly as  Hamilton  had  done ;  "let  me  see ;  the  smell  is  ex- 
cellent, but  the  taste  ? — hum  !  might  require  a  little  more 
salt,  perhaps,  but — but  still  it  is  eatable.  After  a  few  spoonfuls 
one  scarcely  remarks  the  defect — and,"  she  continued,  rais- 
ing the  bowl  to  her  mouth,  "  and  when  one  swallows  it 
quickly,  it  is  really  quite  refreshing  this  cold  afternoon." 

Hamilton  laughed  ;  Hildegarde  grew  angry.  "  You  may 
consider  this  a  good  joke,  Lina,"  she  exclaimed,  "but  I  find 
it  very,  very  impertinent." 

"  Now  don't  get  into  a  passion,  my  dear,  about  a  miserable 
bowl  of  soup,"  said  Madame  Berger,  laughing  maliciously ; 
"  it  is  really  not  worth  while.  Just  go  to  the  kitchen  and 
bring  another,  and  I  promise  not  even  to  look  at  it." 

"But  there  is  no  more." 

"  Ah,  bah  !  as  if  I  did  not  know  that  there  was  soup  put 
aside  for  supper." 

"  But  not  such  soup  as  that,"  cried  Hildegarde,  ingenu- 
ously ;  "  mamma  and  Crescenz  cooked  it  together,  and  I  was 
not  allowed  to  touch  it  for  fear  of  its  being  spoiled." 


256  THE  INITIALS. 

"  What  an  opinion  they  must  have  of  her  cookery,"  re- 
marked Madame  Berger,  looking  towards  Hamilton. 

"  It  is  of  no  consequence,"  he  said,  laughing  ;  ''  I  do  not 
deserve  any  for  having  been  so  difficult  to  please." 

"  I  can  bring  you  a  cup  of  beef-tea — it  is  better  than 
nothing,"  said  Hildegarde,  leaving  the  room. 

"  Most  careful  nurse !"  cried  Madame  Berger,  smiling 
ironically. 

"  Most  indefatigable — most  kind,"  exclaimed  Hamilton, 
warmly. 

"  And  most  domineering,"  added  Madame  Berger. 

"  I  have  not  found  her  so." 

"  Because  you  have  never  contradicted  her,  perhaps.  For 
instance,  what  would  you  take  now  to  refuse  this  cup  of 
beef-tea  when  she  brings  it  to  you  ?" 

"  That  would  be  ungrateful — almost  rude,"  said  Hamil- 
ton. 

"  It  will  be  bad  enough  to  afford  you  an  excuse,  and  I 
promise  to  assist  you  to  brave  her  anger,"  said  Madame 
Berger,  laughing. 

Hamilton  shook  his  head  and  looked  a  little  embarrassed. 

"  Tell  the  truth,  and  say  at  once  you  dare  not  do  it.  She 
rules  you,  I  perceive,  as  she  does  her  sister  Crescenz,  all  in 
the  way  of  kindness,  but  no  thraldom  can  be  more  complete. 
How  I  shall  enjoy  seeing  you  swallow  the  scalding  water 
dignified  with  the  name  of  beef-tea.  I  dare  say  this  time 
there  will  be  salt  enough  in  it." 

"  How  mischievous  you  are,"  cried  Hamilton ;  "  I  do  be- 
lieve you  want  us  to  quarrel  merely  for  your  amusement, 
after  having  remained  for  three  weeks  the  best  of  friends 
possible." 

"  You  are  more  than  friends  if  you  cannot  take  the  liberty 
to  refuse  a  cup  of  bad  soup." 

Hamilton  was  about  to  reply,  when  the  door  was  opened 
by  Hans  to  admit  Count  Zedwitz. 

"  You  have  played  truant  to-day,  Zedwitz,"  said  Hamilton, 
holding  out  his  hand  ;  "  I  expected  you  an  hour  ago." 

"  I  have  been  skating  on  the  lake  in  the  English  Garden. 
There  was  a  famous  frost  last  night,  and " 

"  Skating !  Here,  Hans,  look  for  my  skates  directly, 
there  is  nothing  I  enjoy  more  than  skating.  We  will  go  out 
together." 


GERMAN  SOUP.  257 

"  But,"  said  Zedwitz,  hesitating,  "  is  it  advisable  to  go  out 
so  late  ?  Remember,  you  have  been  more  than  three  weeks 
confined  to  the  house.     What  will  the  Doctor  say  ?" 

"  Hang  the  Doctor,"  cried  Hamilton,  rising. 

"  I  am  sure  I  am  exceedingly  obliged  to  you,"  said  his 
wife,  pretending  to  look  offended. 

"  By  way  of  precaution,  and  not  to  lose  time,  we  will  drive 
to  the  lake  in  a  hackney  coach,"  said  Hamilton.  "  Come 
with  us,"  he  added,  turning  cavalierly  to  Madame  Berger. 

"  I  have  no  objection,  provided  you  leave  me  at  home  on 
your  way  back." 

"  Agreed,"  cried  Hamilton,  entering  his  bedroom  to  make 
the  necessary  change  in  his  dress. 

Madame  Berger  was  standing  opposite  a  long  glass, 
arranging  her  bonnet,  Zedwitz  turning  over  the  leaves  of 
some  new  book,  and  Hamilton  issuing  from  his  room,  when 
Hildegarde  again  appeared,  carrying  another  bowl  of  soup. 
She  was  so  surprised  at  the  appearance  of  the  latter  that  she 
stopped  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  and  looked  inquiringly 
from  one  to  the  other  without  speaking. 

"  Mr.  Hamilton  is  going  out  to  take  a  drive,"  began  Ma- 
dame Berger,  fearing  Hildegarde  might  try  to  make  him  alter 
his  intention. 

"  I  am  going  with  Zedwitz  to  skate  in  the  English  Gar- 
dens," said  Hamilton. 

"  Perhaps,  Hildegarde,  you  will  go  with  us ;  I  can  play 
chaperon  on  the  occasion,"  said  Madame  Berger. 

Hildegarde  did  not  vouchsafe  an  answer,  but  turning  to 
Zedwitz,  she  said  reproachfully :  "  This  is  not  an  hour  to 
tempt  an  invalid  to  leave  the  house  for  the  first  time." 

"  I  assure  you  I  have  not  tempted  him,"  replied  Zedwitz ; 
"  I  only  mentioned  having  been  skating  to  excuse  my  coming 
so  late." 

"  You  surely  will  not  think  of  going  out  this  cold  day," 
she  said,  turning  to  Hamilton. 

"  The  weather,"  said  Madame  Berger,  "  is  not  likely  to 
grow  warmer  at  this  time  of  the  year,  and  I  suppose  he  must 
leave  the  house  some  time  or  other." 

"  In  fact,  I  am  no  longer  an  invalid,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and 
the  air,  though  cold,  will  do  me  good." 

"  At  least  drink  this  beef-tea  before  you  go,"  said  Hilde- 
garde, approaching  him. 

99* 


258  THE  INITIALS. 

"  How  on  earth  can  you  expect  Mr.  Hamilton  to  swallow 
such  slop  as  this  !"  cried  Madame  Berger,  raising  the  cover 
as  she  spoke. 

Hildegarde  angrily  pushed  away  her  hand. 

"  The  carriage  is  at  the  door,"  said  Hans. 

"Come,"  cried  Madame  Berger,  laughing,  "you  have  no 
time  to  drink  this  hot  water  at  present,  and  if  you  do  not 
make  haste  I  must  decline  going  with  you  to  admire  your 
skating,  for  it  will  be  too  late  for  me.  Have  you  courage?" 
she  asked,  giving  Hamilton  a  look  of  intelligence. 

Hildegarde  had  perceived  that  he  wished  to  avoid  drink- 
ing the  beef-tea.  She  had  placed  it  on  the  table,  and  was 
now  standing  near  the  stove  apparently  tranquil,  but  a  slight 
contraction  of  her  brows,  and  the  extraordinary  brilliancy 
of  her  eyes  as  she  followed  the  motions  of  each  speaker, 
betrayed  the  anger  with  which  she  was  struggling. 

"  I  perceive  you  are  annoyed,"  said  Zedwitz,  when  about 
to  leave  the  room  ;  "  but,"  he  added,  quickly,  while  the  colour 
mounted  to  his  temples,  "  you  need  not  be  uneasy  about  your 
patient ;  I  will  bring  him  back  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  You  are  mistaken  as  to  the  cause  of  my  annoyance,"  said 
Hildegarde,  with  a  forced  smile ;  "  I  am  angry  with  myself 
for  having  been  such  a  fool  as  to  prepare  that  soup." 

"  You  must  excuse  Hamilton  this  time.  Madame  Berger 
is  such  an  impertinent  little  person !"  said  Zedwitz,  as  he 
closed  the  door. 

In  the  meantime  Hamilton  had  nearly  descended  the  stairs. 
"  I  can  tell  you,"  said  Madame  Berger,  "  that  Hildegarde  is 
in  a  towering  passion.  Did  you  not  see  her  eyes  flashing, 
and  her  lips  grow  blue  ?  I  should  not  wonder  if  at  this 
moment  she  were  literally  dancing  in  your  room  !" 

"  I  should  like  to  see  her,"  said  Hamilton,  stopping  sud- 
denly. 

"  But  if  you  go  back  you  will  have  to  swallow  the  soup  as 
a  peace-offering,"  said  Madame  Berger. 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  Zedwitz,  will  you  assist  Madame 
Berger  into  the  carriage  ? — I  must  return  to  Hildegarde  ;  but 
I  promise  not  to  detain  you  more  than  a  minute."  He  rushed 
up  the  stairs  as  he  spoke,  entered  without  noise  by  means  of 
his  skeleton  key,  and,  passing  through  his  bedroom,  was  able 
to  ascertain  the  partial  truth  of  Madame  Berger's  assertion. 
Hildegarde  was  walking  up  and  down  the  room  with  flushed 


GERMAN  SOUP.  259 

cheeks,  talking  angrily  to  herself,  and  pushing  everything 
that  came  in  her  way.  "  What  a  fool — what  an  egregious 
fool  I  was — to  make  a  fire  with  my  own  hands  to  warm  that 
soup  !"  She  kicked  the  leg  of  the  table  as  she  spoke,  making 
the  plates  and  spoons  clatter.  "  If  ever  I  warm  soup  for 
him  again  I  hope,  yes,  I  hope,  I  may  burn  my  arm  as  I  have 
done  this  time."  She  raised  her  sleeve  and  looked  frown- 
ingly  at  the  suffering  limb,  which  in  fact  was  extremely  red 
and  covered  with  blisters.  While  she  endeavoured  with  her 
handkerchief  to  remove  the  long  streaks  of  smut  which  still 
bore  testimony  to  the  origin  of  the  mischief,  Hamilton 
advanced  ;  and,  scarcely  conscious  of  what  he  was  doing, 
seized  her  hand,  and  held  it  firmly,  while  he  gulped  down 
the  soup  as  fast  as  he  was  able.  It  was,  as  Madame  Berger 
had  said,  very  hot ;  and  when  he  had  deposited  the  bowl  on 
the  plate,  tears  actually  stood  in  his  eyes  from  the  excess  of 
his  exertions. 

"  I  feel  quite  warm  now,"  he  said,  turning  to  Hildegarde, 
who  stood  beside  him  in  great  confusion,  fearing  that  she 
had  been  overheard,  and,  as  usual,  ashamed  of  her  violence, 
now  that  it  was  over.  She  had  covered  her  arm,  and  was 
endeavouring  to  release  her  hand,  as  he  added,  "  You  were 
quite  right  when  you  said  it  was  too  late  for  skating  to-day. 
I  shall  merely  drive  out  for  half-an-hour,  by  way  of  a  begin- 
ning.    This  sacrifice  I  make  to  your  better  judgment." 

Hildegarde  looked  up ;  her  lips  were  no  longer  blue,  and 
her  eyes  had  regained  their  usual  serenity.  "  To-morrow," 
she  observed,  with  evident  satisfaction,  "  to-morrow  you  can 
go  out  directly,  after  dinner,  when  the  sun  is  shining." 

"  Exactly ;  pray  don't  forget  to  bespeak  a  little  sunshine 
for  me,"  he  cried,  laughing,  as  he  ran  out  of  the  room. 

"  Where  is  my  little  tormentor  ?"  he  asked,  on  perceiving 
that  the  carriage  was  unoccupied. 

"  How  could  you  expect  her  to  wait  for  you  ?"  said 
Zedwitz,  gravely.  "  She  has  had  the  good  sense  to  go 
home." 

"  I  am  glad  of  it,"  cried  Hamilton,  springing  gayly  into 
the  carriage,  "  very  glad." 

"  It  is  confoundedly  cold,"  said  Zedwitz,  impatiently  throw- 
ing the  folds  of  his  cloak  over  his  shoulder.  "  I  must  say 
your  minute  was  a  long  one." 

"  Why,  my  dear  fellow,  considering  that  I  had  to  drink  all 


260  THE  INITIALS. 

that  hot  water,  and  put  Hildegarde  in  good  humour  again,  I 
do  not  think  I  required  much  time." 

Zedwitz  looked  out  of  the  window  in  silence.  Hamilton 
leaned  back  and  indulged  in  reflection  of  no  disagreeable 
kind. 

"  Halt !"  cried  Zedwitz,  suddenly,  "  we  are  at  the  lake." 

"  Let  us  drive  on.  I  don't  mean  to  skate  to-day,"  said 
Hamilton. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  skate  !"  exclaimed  Zedwitz. 

"  No.     I  promised  Hildegarde  merely  to  take  an  airing." 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  that  before  ?" 

"  Because  I  feared  being  deprived  of  your  agreeable 
society." 

"  Halt !"  cried  Zedwitz,  vehemently ;  and  the  carriage 
stopped.  "  I  can  tell  you,"  he  said,  kicking  the  door  to 
assist  Hans  in  opening  it,  "  I  can  tell  you  that  you  have  just 
received  an  extremely  great  proof  of  my  friendship,  for  if 
there  be  any  one  thing  I  particularly  detest  in  this  world,  it  is 
driving  about  in  a  machine  of  this  kind.  I  have  an  invet- 
erate antipathy  to  a  hackney  coach." 

"  I  understand  and  share  your  feelings  on  this  subject, 
generally  speaking,"  said  Hamilton,  amused  at  his  violence ; 
"  but  after  being  confined  to  one's  room  for  three  or  four 
weeks,  the  air  enjoyed  even  through  the  windows  of  a  hack- 
ney coach  is  agreeable  and  refreshing.  Come,  you  may  as 
well  drive  back  with  me." 

"  Sorry,  I  have  a  most  particular  engagement."  began  Zed- 
witz, who  was  now  standing  on  the  road,  and  stamping  his 
feet  on  the  frozen  ground,  as  if  they  had  been  cramped. 

"  You  forget  you  intended  to  skate  with  me,"  cried  Ham- 
ilton, laughing,  while  he  jumped  out  of  the  carriage,  took 
Zedwitz's  arm,  and  walked  off  quickly  with  him,  neither 
speaking  for  several  minutes. 

"  Are  you  jealous?"  asked  Hamilton,  at  length. 

::  You  know  best  whether  or  not  I  have  cause  to  be." 

*'  You  have  no  cause — although  I  am  sorry  to  be  obliged 
to  confess  to  you  that  I  too  begin  to  find  Hildegarde  alto- 
gether irresistible,  but  she  does  not  care  in  the  least  for  me, 
and  evt,n  were  it  otherwise,  my  case  is  more  hopeless  than 
yours.  Your  parents  will  at  least  vouchsafe  to  make  a  flat- 
tering oppofeition,  which,  as  you  are  an  only  son,  must  termi- 
nate in  consent  if  you  are  firm — mine  would  overwhelm  me 


GERMAN  SOUP.  261 

with  scornful  ridicule  were  I  to  hint  at  anything  so  prepos- 
terous as  an  early  marriage.  It  is  I,  in  fact,  who  ought  to 
be  jealous,  and  desperately  jealous  too,  if  you  knew  but  all." 

"  But  her  anxiety  about  you  just  now " 

"  Was  more  natural  than  flattering,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  she 
has  got  the  habit  of  taking  care  of  me  during  my  illness, 
and  even  lately  exacts  a  sort  of  obedience  in  trifles,  which, 
however,  I  willingly  pay,  as  she  allows  me  to  tyrannise  in 
other  respects." 

"  But  still,  I  consider  you  so  very  dangerous  a  rival " 

began  Zedwitz. 

"By  no  means,  for  though  I  wish  to  gain  some  of  Hilde- 
garde's  esteem,  if  not  affection,  I  can  never  speak  to  her 
seriously  on  that  subject  which  alone  could  interfere  with 
your  wishes." 

"  Do  you  advise  me  then  to  persevere  ?"  asked  Zedwitz. 

"  I  must  in  future  decline  advising,"  replied  Hamilton ; 
"  my  confession  just  now  was  in  fact  tantamount  to  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  my  incapacity  to  do  so." 

"  Ah,  bah  !"  cried  Zedwitz,  "  your  manner  has  convinced 
me  that  your  love  is  not  very  deep-rooted — my  fears  are 
more  for  her  than  for  you.  If  she  once  liked  you,  and  con- 
fessed it,  there  is  no  saying  how  serious  the  affair  might  be- 
come." 

"  Very  true,"  said  Hamilton,  "  you  might  in  that  case  pre- 
pare for  a  voyage  to  the  moon,  where  you  would  be  sure  to 
find  my  senses  in  a  little  phial,  nicely  corked  and  labelled." 

"  Pshaw  !     Tell  me  seriously,  what  would  you  do  in  such 

OJJ 

a  case  r 

"  Seriously — I  believe  I  should  act  like  a  fool.  Apply  to 
my  father  with  the  certainty  of  being  refused,  and  laughed 
at  into  the  bargain — write  to  my  Uncle  Jack,  that  he  might 
have  time  to  make  a  new  will  and  disinherit  me — and  then, 
perhaps,  enter  into  a  seven  years'  engagement." 

"  Hildegarde  would  never  consent  to  anything  so  absurd." 

"  Not  at  present — but  I  thought  you  supposed  her  to 
return  my " 

"  Hang  the  supposition  I"  cried  Zedwitz,  impatiently,  and 
they  walked  on  in  silence  until  Zedwitz  again  spoke :  "  I 
wish,  Hamilton,  that  at  least  you  would  promise  to  tell  me 
if  ever  you  do  enter  into  any  kind  of  engagement  with  Hil- 
degarde." 


262  THE  INITIALS 

"  No,"  said  Hamilton,  firmly,  "  I  will  make  no  such 
promise.  Let  us  start  fair,  we  both  love  her,  each  after  his 
own  manner.  I  will  be  honourable,  and  tell  you  that  you 
stand  high  in  her  estimation,  and  that  the  fear  of  the  oppo- 
sition of  your  family,  and  not  indifference  on  her  part, 
caused  her  former  refusal.  I  have  had  to  combat  with  her 
personal  dislike,  and  if  I  have  overcome  it,  a  very  lukewarm 
kind  of  regard  has  taken  place.  To  counterbalance  your 
advantages,  I  live  in  the  same  house,  and  see  her  daily — 
hourly — often  alone." 

'•'  Let  us  start  fair  in  good  earnest,"  cried  Zedwitz,  eagerly, 
"  but  in  order  to  do  so,  you  must  establish  yourself  in  my 
quarters.  The  rooms  which  belong  to  my  father  when  he  is 
in  town  are  at  your  service ;  neither  he  nor  my  mother 
comes  to  Munich  this  season,  as  Agnes's  marriage  takes  place 
before  the  carnival.  We  will  live  together — visit  the  Rosen- 
bergs together,  and  at  the  end  of  two  or  three  months  write 


a  letter  to  Hildegarde,  and " 

Hamilton  began  to  laugh.  "  Had  you  proposed  this  plan 
at  Seon,  I  might  have  agreed  to  it — but  now  it  would  be 
absurd  to  think  of  such  a  thing.  Putting  all  other  feelings 
out  of  the  question,  Hildegarde  has  become  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  me.  When  I  am  ill,  she  tends  me — when  I  am  well, 
she  reads  with  me,  or  for  me,  and  amuses  me ;  and  when  I 
am  out  of  temper,  she  quarrels  with  me !" 

"  In  the  last  particular  I  could  supply  her  place,"  said 
Zedwitz,  "  for  I  could  quarrel  with  you  easily  enough.  If  I 
thought  you  really  loved  her,  I  should  not  so  much  mind,  but 
you  are  deliberately  seeking  a  few  months'  amusement  at  her 
expense,  and  endeavouring  to  gain  her  affection  without  any 
object  whatever;  for  as  to  your  seven  years'  engagement,  I 
cannot  for  a  moment  believe  you  serious.  Perhaps  Eng- 
lishwomen may  consider  this  pardonable,  but  my  country- 
women  " 

"  Your  countrywomen  unfortunately  do  not  understand  the 
meaning  of  the  word  flirtation,"  said  Hamilton,  interrupting 
him.  "  I  wish  I  had  time  and  opportunity  to  explain  it  to 
them." 

"  Explain  to  me  what  flirtation  is,"  said  Zedwitz,  gravely. 

"  No,"  said  Hamilton,  "  I  shall  do  no  such  thing,  for  I  see 
by  your  face  that  you  are  ready  to  preach  a  sermon  upon  the 
crime  of  endeavouring  to  please  any  of  your  fair  country- 


THE  WARNING.  263 

women  without  having  both  the  intention  and  power  to 
marry  with  all  possible  despatch ;  and  now,  will  you  come 
upstairs  with  me?" 

Zedwitz  shook  his  head. 

"  I  do  not  mean  to  press  you,"  said  Hamilton,  "  for  I  must 
say  I  never  found  you  less  amusing  than  to-day.  I  wish  you 
would  make  an  agreement  never  to  mention  Hildegarde's 
name  to  me." 

"  It  is  an  excellent  idea,"  said  Zedwitz,  "  but,  as  I  am  sin- 
cerely attached  to  her,  I  hope  you  will  consider  it  no  breach 
of  confidence,  should  I  warn  her  against  this  flirtation  love 
of  yours." 

"  None  whatever,"  replied  Hamilton,  laughing.  "  You 
cannot  say  more  and  will  not  probably  say  half  as  much  in 
your  warning  as  I  have  already  said,  when  she  was  present, 
to  her  sister  Crescenz." 

"  You  are  incomprehensible,"  said  Zedwitz,  shrugging  his 
shoulders,  and  walking  off  with  a  slight  frown  on  his  usually 
good-humoured  countenance. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  WARNING. 


Hamilton  prided  himself  upon  being  an  excellent  skater ; 
it  was,  therefore,  with  no  little  satisfaction  that  he  perceived, 
the  next  day,  that  he  had  been  followed  to  the  lake  by  the 
Rosenberg  and  Hoffmann  families — no  sooner,  however,  had 
Zedwitz  seen  the  former,  than  his  skates  were  thrown  aside 
— a  place  beside  Hildegarde  secured,  and  he  accompanied 
them  home.  This  occurred  several  days  successively,  and 
Zedwitz  at  length,  on  finding  that  he  had  regained  his  former 
intimacy,  ventured  to  give  the  proposed  warning.  Hamilton 
was  at  the  moment  sweeping  before  them,  "  on  sounding 
skates  a  thousand  different  ways,"  and  exhibiting  more  than 
usual  grace  and  animation.  Zedwitz  began  judiciously  by 
praising  his  rival — commended  his  person,  his  varied  infor- 
mation and  talents,  the  more  extraordinary  from  his  extreme 


264  THE  INITIALS. 

youth,  and  then  regretted  that  he  had  lost  almost  all  the 
freshness  belonging  to  his  time  of  life,  that  his  ideas  were 
altogether  those  of  a  man  of  the  world,  that  the  society  of 
an  elder  brother,  an  accomplished  vaurien,  had  evidently 
been  of  great  disadvantage  to  him,  and  had  given  him 
opinions,  especially  with  respect  to  women,  which  were  dan- 
gerous in  the  extreme.  Hildegarde  had  listened  with  a  com- 
posure so  nearly  verging  on  indifference,  that  Zedwitz,  almost 
reassured,  regretted  having  said  so  much,  and  had  she  con- 
tinued silent,  would  have,  perhaps,  softened  his  last  remark, 
but  she  looked  up  suddenly,  and  said  with  her  usual  energy, 
"  Mr.  Hamilton  has  never  spoken  of  his  brother  to  me, 
therefore  I  know  nothing  about  him.  You  are,  however, 
mistaken  as  to  his  opinion  of  women — he  thinks  much  more 
highly  of  them  than  men  generally  do,  and  that  he  likes 
their  society  is  evident  by  his  remaining  so  much  at  home 
with  us.  Mamma  says  she  never  knew  any  young  man  so 
perfectly  well  educated,  and  so  excellent  in  every  respect." 

Zedwitz  was  not  aware  of  the  peculiarity  in  Hildegarde's 
disposition  which  led  her  invariably  to  defend  the  absent ; 
he  was,  therefore,  greatly  vexed,  and  with  difficulty  stam- 
mered, "  And  you — you — perhaps — think  equally  highly  of 
him  ?" 

"  Perhaps  I  do — the  more  I  know  him,  the  better  I  like 
him,"  replied  Hildegarde,  bluntly. 

"  I  am  answered,"  murmured  Zedwitz,  biting  his  lip,  "  my 
warning  comes  too  late — he  knew  it  when  he  gave  me  leave 
to  speak." 

"  Who  gave  you  leave?  What  warning?"  asked  Hilde- 
garde, quickly. 

Zedwitz  had  gone  too  far  to  recede,  and  he  now  became 
perfectly  explicit.  Hildegarde  again  listened  calmly,  and 
when  he  ceased,  observed  half  reproachfully,  "  WThen  Mr. 
Hamilton  speaks  of  you,  it  is  not  to  warn  me — but  let  us 
pass  over  that.  I  must,  however,  tell  you  that  you  have  not 
in  your  warning  said  anything  which  I  have  not  already 
heard  from  himself." 

"  That's  it !"  cried  Zedwitz,  with  ill-concealed  impatience, 
"  he  acted  honourably  in  putting  you  on  your  guard,  but  he 
now  considers  himself  at  liberty  to  win  your  affections  if  he 
can !" 

Hildegarde  seemed  struck  by  this  remark,  and  walked  on 


THE  WARNING.  265 

in  silence.  Zedwitz  excused  himself  for  having  spoken 
against  his  friend  on  the  plea  of  jealousy,  and  then  urged 
his  own  cause  with  great  fervour.  While  thus  speaking, 
they  had  taken  a  wrong  turn,  and  were  loudly  recalled  by 
Madame  Rosenberg,  "  who  wondered  what  on  earth  they  could 
have  been  thinking  about  I"  Zedwitz  had  no  opportunity  of 
renewing  the  conversation,  but  he  was  apparently  satisfied  on 
finding  that  she  was  not  displeased. 

When  Hamilton  returned  home  that  evening,  Hildegarde 
was  at  the  Hoffmanns' :  she  had  not  visited  them  for  a  long 
time,  and  on  her  return,  he  inquired  with  extreme  affability 
after  each  member  of  the  family,  cousin  Oscar  included.  She 
seated  herself  as  far  distant  from  him  as  possible,  and  while 
answering  his  questions  seemed  to  think  more  of  a  coloured 
wool,  which  she  was  arranging  in  a  basket,  than  of  what  she 
was  saying. 

"  Did  your  cousin  read  for  you  this  evening  ?"  asked  Ham- 
ilton, moving  his  chair  towards  her. 

"  No,  he  tried  a  quantity  of  new  music  which  Marie  had 
just  received.  Crescenz,  do  tell  me  how  you  distinguish 
your  greens  at  night  ?     They  all  appear  blue  to  me  !" 

"  The  names  and  numbers  are  pinned  on  each  colour,"  re- 
plied Crescenz,  pushing  forward  her  neatly  arranged  basket 
for  inspection. 

Major  Stultz  said  something  about  young  women  of  orderly 
habits  making  good  wives,  which  she  did  not  seem  to  hear, 
but  when  Hamilton  in  returning  the  basket  observed,  that 
the  colours  were  so  judiciously  arranged,  that  they  reminded 
him  of  a  rainbow,  a  smile  of  childish  delight  brightened  her 
youthful  features  and  made  her  look  so  pretty,  that  he  play- 
fully held  back  the  basket,  and  began  a  series  of  questions 
on  the  different  colours,  exhibiting  an  excess  of  ignorance 
on  the  subject  which  seemed  to  amuse  her  infinitely  more 
than  Major  Stultz,  who  first  drummed  on  the  table,  then 
pushed  back  his  chair,  and  finally  told  her  somewhat  testily, 
that  "  she  was  preventing  Mr.  Hamilton  from  reading  his 
newspaper." 

Hamilton  understood  the  hint,  and  resigned  the  basket 
with  a  slight  laugh ;  Crescenz  blushed,  and,  with  evident 
displeasure,  followed  Major  Stultz  to  another  table,  where  he 
proposed  reading  her  the  letters  which  he  had  that  day  re- 
ceived from  Nuremberg. 

m  23 


266  THE  INITIALS. 

Hamilton  drew  his  chair  close  to  Hildegarde's,  while  he 
observed,  "  I  am  very  glad  that  you  have  no  one  who  has 
a  right  to  forbid  your  speaking  to  me." 

Hildegarde  bent  over  her  work  for  a  minute,  and  then  look- 
ing up  asked  abruptly,  "  What  sort  of  a  person  is  your  eld- 
est brother?" 

"  The  best-natured  fellow  in  the  world,  good-looking,  and 
amusing.  You  would  be  sure  to  like  him,  if  you  could  par- 
don his  speaking  the  most  execrable  French  imaginable." 

"  Is  he  amiable  ?" 

"  Amiable  ?  oh,  very  amiable  !" 

"  And  not  a  vaurien  ?" 

"  Tant  soit  peii"  said  Hamilton,  laughing,  "  but  not  half 
so  bad  as  your  cousin  Raiinund." 

"  Is  he  much  older  than  you  ?" 

"  Several  years  ;  but  may  I  ask  why  my  brother  has  so 
suddenly  become  an  object  of  interest  to  you?" 

"  He  does  not  interest  me  in  the  least,"  began  Hildegarde, 
but  at  that  moment,  Hamilton,  whose  hand  had  been  wan- 
dering through  the  entangled  skeins  of  wool  in  her  basket, 
suddenly  drew  forth  a  small  book  which  had  been  concealed 
beneath  them ;  her  first  impulse  was  to  prevent  his  opening 
it,  but  she  changed  her  mind,  and  though  blushing  deeply, 
continued  to  work  without  uttering  a  syllable. 

Hamilton  turned  over  the  leaves  for  some  minutes  in  si- 
lence. "  Who  recommended  you  to  read  the  works  of  Georges 
Sand  ?"  he  asked,  as  he  placed  the  book  beside  her  on  the  table. 

"  Oscar ;  he  told  me  they  were  interesting,  and  extremely 
well  written." 

"  They  are  both  the  one  and  the  other,  and  yet  nothing 
would  have  induced  me  to  advise  you  to  read  them,  especially 
this  volume.  I  am  surprised  you  did  not  yourself  perceive 
that  it  was  not  suited  for  a  person  of  your  age  or " 

"  Pshaw  !"  cried  Hildegarde,  impatiently.  "  Mamma  wishes 
me  to  read  French  that  I  may  not  forget  the  language ;  the 
best  writers  of  the  day  are,  of  course,  the  best  for  that  pur- 
pose, and  Oscar  says  all  French  novels  are  more  or  less  of 
this  description.  He  told  me  that  I  need  not  have  any 
scruples,  for  that  these  works  were  written  by  a  woman,  and 
might  therefore  be  read  by  one." 

"  So,  then,  you  had  scruples  ?"' 

"  I  have  none  at  present,"  said  Hildegarde,  taking  up  the 


THE  WARNING.  267 

volume,  "  besides,"  she  added,  drawing  her  chair  close  to  the 
table,  "  I  positively  must  know  whether  or  not  the  heroine 
marries  the  young  poet." 

"  Marry  !"  cried  Hamilton,  laughing,  ironically,  "  there  is 
not  one  word  of  marriage  in  the  whole  book — that  would  be 
much  too  unpoetical.  I  can  hardly,  however,  imagine  that 
this  heroine  really  interests  you — a  heroine  whose  thoughts 
and  reasonings  are  those  of  a  woman  who  has  plunged  into 
the  whirpool  of  earthly  pleasures,  and  from  satiety  learned  to 
despise  them.  I  wish  it  were  any  of  the  other  works  of 
Sand,  or — or  that,  for  your  sake,  Madame  Dudevant  had 
been  less  gloriously  graphical  in  some  parts  of  her  work.  If," 
he  added,  half  inquiringly,  "  if  you  merely  read  to  know  the 
end  of  the  story,  it  is  easily  told  ;  the  events  are  few,  and  I 
am  ready  to  relate  them  to  you." 

"  Oscar  has  a  much  higher  opinion  of  my  intellect  than 
you  have,"  observed  Hildegarde,  slowly  turning  over  the 
leaves ;  "  he  says  my  character  is  so  decidedly  formed,  that 
I  may  read,  without  danger,  whatever  I  please." 

"  That  was  gross  flattery,"  said  Hamilton,  "  for  no  girl  of 
seventeen  can  read  a  work  of  this  description  without  danger. 
The  religious  speculations  alone  make  it  unfit  for  you — but 
stay,  I  can  prove  it ;  read  half  a  dozen  pages  aloud  for  me — 
where  you  please  ;  the  chances  are  in  my  favour  that  I  prove 
myself  right." 

"  It  is  not  exactly  adapted  for  reading  aloud,"  said  Hilde- 
garde with  some  embarrassment. 

"  That  is  an  infallible  criterion  by  which  you  may  know 
what  to  read  for  the  next  ten  years,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  But  I  dare  say  I  could  find  many  parts  which  I  should 
have  no  objection  to  read  aloud." 

"  Read  then,"  said  Hamilton,  with  a  provoking  smile. 

Hildegarde  began.  "  The  style  at  least  is  faultless,"  she 
observed,  at  the  end  of  a  few  minutes. 

"  Perfect,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  but  go  on." 

She  continued.  By  degrees  her  voice  became  less  firm ;  a 
deep  blush  overspread  her  face ;  she  turned  away  her  head 
from  him,  and  his  eyes  rested  on  her  small  and  now  perfectly 
crimson  ear,  and  yet  she  persevered  until  the  words  almost 
seemed  to  suffocate  her,  when,  throwing  down  the  book,  she 
exclaimed,  "  You  were  right.  I  will  not  read  any  more  of  it, 
nor  any  of  the  others  recommended  by  Oscar." 


268  THE  INITIALS. 

"  May  I  write  you  a  list  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  eagerly. 

"  Pray  do,"  cried  Hildegarde,  turning  round.  "  I  promise 
to  read  them  all." 

A  leaf  was  hastily  torn  out  of  his  pocket-book,  a  pencil 
carefully  pointed,  and  two  hours  scarcely  sufficed  to  bring 
this  most  simple  business  to  a  satisfactory  conclusion,  so 
various  were  the  observations  and  discussions  to  which  it 
gave  rise. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE    STRUGGLE. 


The  following  Sunday  Hamilton  saw  the  whole  Rosenberg 
family,  with  the  exception  of  Hildegarde,  walking  in  the  Eng- 
lish Gardens.  It  appeared  odd  that  she  should  have  re- 
mained at  home  when  her  father  was  present,  and  he,  for  a 
moment,  thought  of  asking  the  reason  ;  on  consideration, 
the  hope  of  finding  her  alone  made  him  turn  his  horse's  head 
directly  homeward,  and,  on  riding  into  the  yard,  he  looked 
up  to  her  window,  expecting,  as  usual,  to  find  her  there  ready 
to  greet  him  and  admire  his  horse — but  not  a  human  being 
was  visible ;  even  his  servant,  not  expecting  his  return  so 
early,  had  disappeared,  and  he  was  obliged  to  lead  his  horse 
into  the  stable  himself.  He  entered  the  house  by  the  back 
staircase,  visited  all  the  rooms,  and  even  the  kitchen,  but 
found  all  deserted.  Madame  Rosenberg's  room  was  also  un- 
occupied, but  through  the  partly  open  door  of  it  he  saw 
Hildegarde  sitting  on  the  sofa  in  the  drawing-room,  reading 
so  intently  that  she  was  perfectly  unconscious  of  his  pres- 
ence. The  deep  folds  of  her  dark-blue  merino  dress,  with  its 
closely-fitting  body,  gave  a  more  than  usual  elegance  to  her 
tall,  slight  figure,  as  she  bent  in  profile  over  her  book,  and 
Hamilton  stood  in  silent  admiration,  unconsciously  twisting 
his  riding-whip  round  his  wrist,  until  his  eyes  rested  for  the 
second  time  on  the  book  which  she  held  in  her  hand.  He 
started,  hesitated,  then  hastily  strode  forward  and  stood  be- 
fore her.  Doubt  and  uncertainty  were  still  depicted  on  his 
countenance  as  Hildegarde  looked  up ;  but  her  dismay,  her 


THE  STRUGGLE.  269 

deep  blush,  and  the  childish  action  of  placing  the  hand  con- 
taining the  volume  behind  her,  were  a  confirmation  of  his 
fears  that  she  was  reading  the  forbidden  work.  "  Excuse 
me  for  interrupting  you,"  he  said,  with  a  forced  smile; 
"  but  I  really  cannot  believe  the  evidence  of  my  own  eyes, 
and  must  request  you  to  let  me  look  at  that  book  for  a  mo- 
ment." 

"  No,  you  shall  not,"  she  answered,  leaning  back  on  the 
sofa,  and  becoming  very  pale  while  she  added,  "  It  is  very 
disagreeable  being  startled  and  interrupted  in  this  manner. 
I  thought  you  told  mamma  you  would  meet  her  at  Neuber- 
hausen." 

"  Very  true  ;  perhaps  I  may  meet  her  there  ;  but  before  I 
go  I  must  and  will  see  that  book.  On  it  depends  my  future 
opinion  of  you." 

"  You  shall  not  see  it,"  cried  Hildegarde,  the  colour  again 
returning  to  her  face. 

"  The  book,"  said  Hamilton,  seizing  firmly  her  disengaged 
hand.     "  The  book,  or  the  name  of  it !" 

"Neither;  let  me  go!"  cried  Hildegarde,  struggling  to 
disengage  her  hand. 

Like  most  usually  quiet  tempered  persons,  Hamilton,  when 
once  actually  roused,  lost  all  command  of  himself;  he  held 
one  of  her  hands  as  in  a  vice,  and,  when  she  brought  for- 
ward the  other  to  accelerate  its  release,  he  bent  down  to 
read  the  title  of  the  book,  which  was  immediately  thrown 
on  the  ground,  and  the  then  freed  hand  descended  with 
such  violence  on  his  cheek  and  ear  that  for  a  moment 
he  was  perfectly  stunned  ;  and,  even  after  he  stood  up- 
right, he  looked  at  her  for  a  few  seconds  in  unfeigned 
astonishment.  "  Do  you  think,"  at  length  he  exclaimed 
vehemently — "  Do  you  think  that  I  will  allow  you  to 
treat  me  as  you  did  Major  Stultz,  with  impunity?"  And 
then,  catching  her  in  his  arms,  he  kissed  her  repeatedly, 
and  with  a  violence  which  seemed  to  terrify  her  beyond 
measure.  "  I  gave  you  fair  warning  more  than  once," 
he  added,  when  at  length  he  had  released  her.  "  I  gave 
you  fair  warning,  and  you  knew  what  you  had  to  expect." 
She  covered  her  face  with  her  hands,  and  burst  into  a 
passion  of  tears. 

"  I  cannot  imagine,"  he  continued,  impetuously  walking 
up  and  down  the  room—"  I  cannot  imagine  why  you  did 

23* 


270  THE  INITIALS. 

not,  with  your  usual  courage,  tell  me  at  once  the  name  of 
the  book,  and  prevent  this  scene." 

Hildegarde  shook  her  head,  and  wept  still  more  bitterly. 

"  After  all,"  he  said,  seating  himself  with  affected  calm- 
ness opposite  to  her,  leaning  his  arms  on  the  table,  and 
drumming  upon  the  book,  which  now  lay  undisputed  between 
them,  "  After  all,  you  are  not  better  than  other  people  !  Not 
more  to  be  trusted  than  other  girls,  and  1  fancied  you  such 
perfection  !  I  could  have  forgiven  anything  but  the — the 
untruth  !"  he  exclaimed,  starting  up.  "  Anything  but  that ! 
Pshaw  !  yesterday  when  you  told  me  that  the  books  had  been 
sent  back  to  the  library,  I  believed  you  without  a  moment's 
hesitation — I  thanked  you  for  your  deference  to  my  opinion 
— ha,  ha,  ha  !     What  a  fool  you  must  have  thought  me !" 

Hildegarde  looked  up.  All  expression  of  humility  had 
left  her  features,  her  tears  ceased  to  flow,  and,  as  she  rose  to 
leave  the  room,  she  turned  almost  haughtily  towards  him, 
while  saying : 

"  I  really  do  not  know  what  right  you  have  to  speak  to 
me  in  this  manner.  I  consider  it  very  great  presumption  on 
your  part,  and  desire  it  may  never  occur  again." 

"  You  may  be  quite  sure  I  shall  never  offend  you  in  this 
way  again,"  he  said  holding  the  book  towards  her.  "  What 
a  mere  farce  the  writing  of  that  list  of  books  was !" 

"  No,  for  I  had  intended  to  have  read  all  you  recom- 
mended." 

"  And  all  I  recommended  you  to  avoid,  too  !     This — this, 

which  you  tacitly  promised  not  to  finish "     He  stopped  ; 

for,  while  she  took  the  book  in  silence,  she  blushed  so  deeply, 
and  seemed  so  embarrassed,  that  he  added  sorrowfully,  "  Oh, 
how  I  regret  having  come  home !  How  I  wish  I  had  not 
discovered  that  you  could  deceive  me !" 

"  I  have  not  deceived  you,"  said  Hildegarde. 

Hamilton  shook  his  head,  and  glanced  towards  the  subject 
of  dispute. 

"  Appearances  are  against  me,  and  yet  I  repeat  I  have  not 
deceived  you.     The  books  were  sent  to  the  library  yesterday 

evening but  too  late  to  be  changed.     Old  Hans  brought 

them  back  again,  and  I  found  them  in  my  room  when  I  went 
to  bed.     I  did  not  read  them  last  night." 

11  But  you  stayed  at  home  for  the  purpose  to-day,"  observed 
Hamilton,  reproachfully. 


THE  STRUGGLE.  271 

"  No  ;  my  mother  gave  the  servants  leave  to  go  out  for  the 
whole  day,  and  as  she  did  not  like  to  leave  the  house  unoc- 
cupied, she  asked  me  to  remain  at  home.  I,  of  course, 
agreed  to  do  so ;  without,  I  assure  you,  thinking  of  those 
hateful  books.  I  do  not  mean  to — I  cannot  justify  what  I 
have  done.  I  can  only  say  in  extenuation  that  the  tempta- 
tion was  great.  I  have  been  alone  for  more  than  two  hours 
— my  father's  books  are  locked  up.  I  never  enter  your  room 
when  you  are  absent,  and  I  wished  to  know  the  end  of  the 
story  which  still  interests  and  haunts  me  in  spite  of  all  my 
endeavours  to  forget  it.  The  book  lay  before  me  ;  I  resisted 
long,  but  at  last  I  opened  It ;  and  so — and  so " 

"  And  so,  I  suppose,  I  must  acknowledge  that  I  have 
judged  you  too  harshly,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  I  do  not  care  about  your  judgment.  I  have  fallen  in 
my  own  esteem  since  I  find  that  I  cannot  resist  temptation." 

"  And  is  my  good  opinion  of  no  value  to  you  ?" 

"  It  was,  perhaps  ;  but  it  has  lost  all  worth  within  the  last 
half-hour." 

"  How  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  I  have  seen  you  in  the  course  of  that  time  suspicious, 
rough,  and  what  you  would  yourself  call  ungentlemanlike." 

"  A  pretty  catalogue  of  faults  for  one  short  half-hour !" 
exclaimed  Hamilton,  biting  his  lips. 

"  You  were  the  last  person  from  whom  I  should  have  ex- 
pected such  treatment,"  continued  Hildegarde,  while  the 
tears  started  to  her  eyes,  and  her  voice  faltered,  "  the  very 
last ;  and  though  I  did  get  into  a  passion  and  give  you  a 
blow,  it  was  not  until  you  had  hurt  my  wrist  and  provoked 
me  beyond  endurance."  She  left  the  room  and  walked 
quickly  down  the  passage. 

"  Stay,"  cried  Hamilton,  following  her,  "  stay,  and  hear 
my  excuses." 

"  Excuses  !  You  have  not  even  one  to  offer,"  said  Hilde- 
garde, laying  her  hand  on  the  lock  of  her  door. 

"  Hear  me  at  least,"  he  said  eagerly.  "  I  could  not  endure 
the  thought  of  your  being  one  jot  less  perfect  than  I  had 
imagined  you — that  made  me  suspicious ;  the  wish  for  proof 
made  me  rough ;  and  though  I  cannot  exactly  justify  my 
subsequent  conduct,  I  plead  in  extenuation  your  own  words, 
1  the  temptation  was  great.'  " 

Hildegarde's  dimples  showed  that  a  smile  was  with  dim- 


272  THE  INITIALS. 

culty  repressed,  and  Hamilton,  taking  courage,  whispered 
hurriedly,  "  But  one  word  more — hear  my  last  and  best 
excuse ;  it  is,  that  I  love  you,  deeply,  passionately ;  but  I 
need  not  tell  you  this,  for  you  must  have  known  it  long,  long 
ago.  Hildegarde,  say  only  that  our  perpetual  quarrels  have 
not  made  you  absolutely  hate  me  !" 

Hildegarde,  without  uttering  a  word  more,  impetuously 
drew  back  her  hand,  sprang  into  her  room,  and  locked  the 
door.  He  waited  for  a  minute  or  two,  and  then  knocked, 
but  received  no  answer.  "  Hildegarde,"  he  cried,  reproach- 
fully, "  is  this  right — is  this  kind?  Even  if  you  dislike  me, 
I  have  a  right  to  expect  an  answer." 

'-  Go,"  she  said,  in  a  very  low  voice ;  "  go  away.  You 
ought  not  to  be  here  when  I  am  alone." 

"  Why  did  you  not  think  of  that  before  ?" 

"  I  don't  know.     I  had  not  time.     I " 

"  Nonsense.  Open  the  door,  and  let  me  speak  to  you  for  a 
moment." 

No  answer,  but  he  thought  he  heard  her  walking  up  and 
down  the  room. 

"  Only  one  moment,"  he  repeated. 

"  I  cannot,  indeed  I  cannot.     Pray  go  away." 

He  retired  slowly  to  his  room ;  even  before  he  reached  it 
he  had  become  conscious  of  the  absurdity  of  his  conduct, 
and  the  prudence  of  hers.  That  she  no  longer  disliked  him, 
he  was  pretty  certain ;  that  she  had  so  discreetly  avoided  a 
confession  of  other  feelings  was  better  for  both,  as  it  enabled 
them  to  continue  their  intercourse  on  the  same  terms,  while 
the  acknowledgment  of  a  participation  in  his  affection  would 
have  subjected  her  to  great  annoyances,  and  placed  him  in  a 
most  embarrassing  situation.  He  was  angry  with  himself — 
recollected,  with  shame,  that  he  had  repeated  the  error  which 
he  had  so  much  cause  to  regret  on  a  former  occasion,  and 
mentally  repenting  his  own  loquaciousness  and  rejoicing  at 
Hildegarde's  taciturnity,  he  resolved  never  to  refer  to  the 
subject  again.  A  ring  of  the  bell  at  the  entrance-door  in- 
duced him  to  stop  and  await  her  appearance.  She  did  not 
answer  the  summons,  and  it  was  repeated,  accompanied  by 
a  few  familiar  taps  on  the  door.  Still  she  did  not  move. 
Again  the  bell  was  rung ;  the  knocks  became  louder,  as  if 
administered  by  some  hard  instrument,  and  finally  her  name 
was  loudly  and  distinctly  pronounced. 


THE  STRUGGLE.  273 

"  I  am  coming,  papa,"  she  cried  at  last,  running  forward, 
and  opening  the  door  precipitately. 

Count  Raimund  sprang  into  the  passage,  closed  the  door 
with  his  shoulder,  leaned  upon  it,  and  burst  into  a  fit  of 
laughter  at  the  dismay  legible  on  the  features  of  his  cousin. 

"  Oscar,"  she  began,  seriously,  "  you  must  come  some  other 
day,  mamma  is  not  at  home,  and  I  have  been  left  to " 

"  I  know,  I  know,"  he  cried,  interrupting  her.  "  I  saw 
them  all  in  the  English  Gardens — -your  chevalier  Hamilton, 
too,  galloping  about  like  a  madman ;  and  for  this  reason, 
my  most  dear  and  beautiful  cousin,  I  have  come  here  now, 
hoping  for  once  to  see  you  alone.  Do  not  look  so  alarmed,  I 
am  \ only  come  to  claim  the  advice  which  you  promised  to 
give  me  on  the  most  important  event  of  my  life." 

"  Not  now,  not  now,"  said  Hildegarde,  glancing  furtively 
towards  the  end  of  the  passage,  where,  in  the  shadow  of  his 
door,  she  distinguished  Hamilton's  figure  leaning  with  folded 
arms  against  the  wall ;  "  some  other  time,  Oscar." 

"  What  other  time  ?  I  never  see  you  for  a  moment  alone 
— even  at  the  HoiFmanns,  although  my  good  Marie  is  too 
rational  to  bore  me  with  useless  jealousy,  does  not  her  deaf 
old  mother  watch  every  movement  and  intercept  every  glance 
with  her  cold,  grey,  suspicious  eyes  ?  I  sometimes  wish  the 
old  lady  were  blind  instead  of  deaf,  she  would  be  infinitely 
less  troublesome." 

"  Oh,  Oscar !" 

"  Conceive  my  being  doomed  to  live  in  the  vicinity  of  such 
eyes,  dearest  creature,  and  you  will  pity  me,  at  least !" 

"  You  are  not  in  the  least  to  be  pitied — for  the  Hoffmanns 
are  most  amiable,"  said  Hildegarde,  hurriedly.  "  But  now 
I  expect  you  will  leave  me." 

"  Expect  no  such  thing !  On  the  contrary,  I  expect  you 
will  invite  me  to  enter  this  room,"  he  replied,  advancing 
boldly  towards  her. 

"  If  you  enter  that  room,"  said  Hildegarde,  sternly,  "  I 
shall  leave  you  there,  and  take  refuge  with  Madame  de  Hoff- 
mann, who,  I  know,  is  now  at  home." 

"  Don't  be  angry,  dearest,  all  places  are  alike  to  me  where 
you  are.  All  places  are  alike  to  me  where  I  may  tell  you 
without  reserve  that  I  love  you  more  than  ever  one  cousin 
loved  another." 

"  The  time  is  ill  chosen  for  jesting,  Oscar ;  I  never  felt  less 


274  THE  INITIALS. 

disposed  to  enjoy  anything  of  the  kind  than  at  this  mo- 
ment." 

"  Indeed  !  then  let  me  tell  you  seriously  that  I  love  you  to 
distraction." 

"  Oscar,  even  in  jest  I  do  not  choose  to  hear  such  nonsense." 

"  By  heaven,  I  am  not  jesting." 

"  Then,  betrothed  as  you  now  are,  your  words  are  a  crime." 

"  Be  it  so ;  there  is,  however,  no  crime  I  should  hesitate 
to  commit  were  you  to  be  obtained  by  it.  As  to  breaking 
my  engagement  with  Marie,  that  is  a  trifle  not  worth  con- 
sidering; but  what  am  I  likely  to  obtain  by  doing  so?" 

"  Dishonour,"  said  Hildegarde,  firmly  and  calmly. 

"  Hildegarde,"  he  exclaimed,  fiercely,  "  do  not  affect  a  cold- 
ness which  you  cannot  feel ;  do  not  drive  me  to  madness. 
My  love  must  not  be  trifled  with ;  it  is  of  no  rational  every- 
day kind,  but  violent  as  my  nature,  and  desperate  as  my 
fortunes." 

"  That  is,"  thought  Hamilton,  "  exactly  what  she  wished. 
If  he  continue  in  this  strain  she  will  not  shut  the  door  in 
his  face.  But  I  have  had  enough  of  this  raving,  and  will 
no  longer  constrain  her  by  my  presence."  He  entered  the 
room,  and  closed  the  door. 

For  more  than  half  an  hour  he  impatiently  paced  back- 
wards and  forwards,  stopping  only  when  he  heard  Baimund's 
voice  suddenly  raised.  At  length  he  thought  he  heard  a 
stifled  scream,  and  rushed  to  the  door,  scarcely  knowing  what 
he  feared  or  expected.  Hildegarde  was  holding  her  cousin's 
arm  with  both  hands,  while  she  exclaimed,  "  For  heaven's 
sake,  Oscar,  do  not  frighten  me  so  horribly." 

A  loud  ringing  of  the  house-bell,  and  the  sound  of  many 
voices  on  the  stairs,  seemed  to  be  a  relief  to  her,  while  Bai- 
mund  appeared  considerably  agitated.  "  Hide  me  in  your 
room,  Hildegarde  ;  I  am  lost  if  the  Hoffmanns  find  me  here." 

"  And  what  is  to  become  of  me  should  you  be  found 
there?"  she  asked,  while  a  deadly  paleness  overspread  her 
features,  and  she  irresolutely  placed  her  hand  on  the  lock  of 
the  door,  then  glanced  down  the  passage,  and  beckoning  Bai- 
mund  to  follow,  she  led  the  way  to  Hamilton's  room.  "  Mr. 
Hamilton,"  she  said,  with  a  trembling  voice,  "  will  you  allow 
Oscar  to  remain  a  few  minutes  in  your  room,  and  when  no 
one  is  in  the  passage,  have  the  goodness  to  open  the  door 
leading-  to  the  back  staircase  for  him  ?" 


THE  STRUGGLE.  275 

"  The  part  which  you  have  assigned  me  in  this  comedy, 
mademoiselle,  is  by  no  means  agreeable,  but  I  will  not  be  the 
means  of  causing  you  embarrassment ;  Count  Rainiund  may 
easily  be  supposed  to  have  voluntarily  visited  me,  and  there 
is  no  necessity  for  a  retreat  by  the  back  staircase,  unless  he 
have  some  motive  for  wishing  to  give  his  visit  an  air  of 
mystery." 

"  Ah,  very  true,"  said  Hildegarde,  in  a  hurried,  confused 
manner,  while  she  moved  aside  to  let  her  cousin  pass. 

Hamilton's  speech  made  more  impression  on  Raimund  ;  he 
looked  furious,  and  seemed  to  hesitate  whether  or  not  to 
enter  the  room.  Again  the  bell  rang,  and  Hildegarde  was 
in  the  act  of  springing  forward,  when  Raimund  caught  her 
arm,  and  while  a  fearful  frown  contracted  his  brows,  with 
closed  teeth,  and  in  the  low  voice  of  suppressed  rage,  he 

whispered,  "  One  word  ;  is  it  Zedwitz  ?  or — or "  he  looked 

towards  Hamilton. 

Hildegarde's  face  became  crimson,  she  flung  off  his  detain- 
ing hand,  and  ran  to  the  hall-door,  which  she  threw  wide 
open,  leaving  him  to  retreat  precipitately  into  Hamilton's 
room,  where,  with  folded  arms,  he  strode  toward  the  window, 
after  having  murmured  the  words,  "  Sorry  to  intrude  in  this 
manner."  Hamilton  moved  a  chair  towards  him  ;  he  sat 
down  for  a  moment,  but  the  next  jumped  up,  and  going  to 
the  door,  partly  opened  it  and  looked  into  the  passage. 

"  I  saw  Count  Raimund  enter  the  house  more  than  half 
an  hour  ago,"  observed  a  very  loud  voice,  which  Hamilton 
recognised  as  Madame  de  Hoffmann's,  "  and  as  I  knew  you 
were  all  out  walking,  and  only  Mademoiselle  Hildegarde  at 
home,  I  expected  to  see  him  leave  it  again  immediately." 

"  I  think,  mamma,  you  must  have  been  mistaken,"  said 
Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann,  putting  her  mouth  close  to  her 
mother's  ear. 

"  I  have  the  misfortune  to  be  somewhat  deaf,  Marie,  but 
my  eyes  are  as  good  as  yours,  and  with  these  eyes  I  saw  him 
enter  this  house." 

"  You  are  quite  right,"  said  Raimund,  advancing  with  the 
easiest  manner  and  most  unconcerned  smile  imaginable.  "  I 
knew  that  Marie  had  gone  out  with  Madame  Rosenberg,  and 
not  imagining  that  my  future  mother-in-law  could  be  so  much 
interested  in  my  movements,  I  ventured,  without  informing 
her  of  my  intentions,  to  visit  my  friend  Hamilton." 


276  THE  INITIALS. 

"  But  Mr.  Hamilton  is  out  riding,"  cried  Madame  de  Hoff- 
mann. 

"  Perhaps  he  was  out  riding,  but  I  have  had  the  good 
fortune  to  find  him  at  home,  nevertheless." 

"  Then  he  must  have  come  up  the  other  staircase,  or  I 
should  have  seen  him  through  the  slit  in  our  door,  where  1 
watched  you  walking  upstairs." 

"  Very  possibly,"  said  Raimund,  contemptuously. 

••  Marie,"  said  Madame  de  Hoffmann,  in  what  she  intended 
for  a  whisper,  but  which  was  audible  to  all,  "  Marie,  my  child, 
I  don't  believe  a  word  of  all  this.  The  Englishman  is  no 
more  in  the  house  than  the  man  in  the  moon." 

"  Confound  your  suspicions,"  muttered  Raimund,  angrily. 
"  I  suppose,  then,"  he  added  with  a  frown,  "  I  shall  be  obliged, 
in  order  to  satisfy  you,  to  ask  Mr.  Hamilton  to  show  himself 
to  the  assembled  household." 

He  seemed,  however,  so  very  unwilling  to  make  the  re- 
quest, that  Madame  de  Hoffmann's  suspicions  received  confir- 
mation ;  she  turned  from  him,  saying,  with  a  laugh  of  derision, 
"  Perhaps  Hildegarde  can  assist  you  in  making  him  appear  !" 

Her  words  acted  like  a  charm.  Hamilton,  who  had  been 
an  immovable  listener  of  all  that  had  passed,  no  sooner  heard 
her  name  mentioned,  than  he  mechanically  rose,  and  taking 
his  hat  and  whip,  issued  forth.  He  forced  a  smile  as  he 
passed  the  Hoffmanns  and  Madame  Rosenberg,  which,  on 
approaching  Hildegarde,  changed  into  an  expression  of  con- 
tempt that  neither  her  swelled  and  tearful  eyelids  nor  her 
excessive  paleness  could  mitigate. 

After  his  return  home,  he  remained  in  his  room  until 
supper  was  announced,  and  even  then  delayed  some  minutes, 
to  insure  Madame  Rosenberg's  being  in  the  drawing-room 
when  he  reached  it.  She  was  endeavouring  to  persuade 
Hildegarde  to  leave  the  stove,  near  which  she  was  sitting 
with  closed  eyes,  leaning  her  head  in  her  hands. 

"  If  you  would  only  eat  your  supper,  Hildegarde,  it  would 
quite  cure  your  headache,  which  is  probably  caused  by  your 
having  spent  the  day  in  a  heated  room.  Next  time  I  shall 
leave  old  Hans  in  charge  of  the  house,  for  had  you  been  out 
walking  with  us  as  usual,  you  would  have  had  no  headache, 
I  am  sure.     Don't  you  think  so  too,  Mr.  Hamilton  ?" 

"  I  think  it  very  probable,"  he  answered,  seating  himself 
beside  Madame  Rosenberg. 


THE  STRUGGLE.  277 

"  And  don't  you  think  if  she  took  some  soup  she  would 
be  better?" 

"  Perhaps." 

"  Hildegarde,  I  insist  on  your  trying  it — or  go  to  bed  at 
once.  You  make  your  head  worse  by  sitting  so  close  to  the 
stove." 

Hildegarde,  without  speaking,  moved  to  the  vacant  chair 
at  the  other  side  of  Hamilton,  and  slowly  and  reluctantly 
sipped  a  few  mouthfuls  of  soup. 

By  some  singular  anomaly,  Hamilton  found  himself  sud- 
denly in  remarkably  high  spirits — he  looked  at  Hildegarde, 
and  congratulating  himself  on  being  free  from  thraldom, 
gazed  with  a  gay  smile  on  her  pale  features  until  they  were 
suffused  with  red,  and  great  was  his  triumph  to  feel  and 
know  that  there  was  no  sympathetic  blush  on  his  own  coun- 
tenance. He  told  Madame  Rosenberg  of  an  engagement  he 
had  made  with  Zedwitz  to  accompany  him  to  Edelhof  on  the 
following  morning,  to  attend  the  marriage  of  his  sister,  and 
requested  to  have  his  breakfast  at  an  early  hour  the  next 
day. 

"  And  you  intend  to  remain  away  a  whole  fortnight !  How 
we  shall  miss  you !"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg. 

"  You  are  very  kind  to  say  so,"  replied  Hamilton,  laughing. 

"  And  I  think  so  too,  though  you  seem  to  doubt  me.  You 
know  I  like  you  better  than  any  of  the  Englishmen  I  have 
had  in  my  house.  Captain  Black  was  not  to  be  compared  to 
you,  nor  Mr.  Smith,  either,  although  he  used  to  tell  me  so 
often  that  he  was  noble  even  without  a  von  before  his  name, 
and  that  he  could  be  made  a  chamberlain  here  if  he  wished 
it,  as  he  was  related  to  the  Duke  of  Buckel,1  which  always 
appeared  to  me  such  an  odd  name  for  a  duke  that  I  was  half 
inclined  to  doubt  there  being  any  such  person." 

"  We  have  a  Duke  of  Buccleugh "  began  Hamilton. 

"  Very  likely  he  pronounced  it  that  way ;  I  am  sure  I 
heard  it  often  enough  to  know,  but  I  never  can  learn  an 
English  word  until  I  see  it  written ;  and  never  should  have 
learned  his  name  if  he  had  not  constantly  left  his  cards  lying 
about  on  the  tables ;  I  dare  say  I  shall  find  some  of  ^hem  in 
the  card-basket  still."     She   commenced  a   diligent  search 

1  Buckel  means  in  German  back,  or  more  generally  humpback. 
It  seems  that  Madame  Rosenberg  took  it  in  the  latter  sense. 

24 


278  THE  INITIALS. 

while  speaking,  and  soon  held  up  a  card  on  which  was  printed 
in  large  German  letters  the  name  of  Mr.  Howard  Seymour 
Scott  Smith. 

"  He  used  to  sometimes  say  that  the  last  word  ought  to  be 
left  out,  for  that  his  real  name  was  Scott." 

"  Perhaps  he  inherited  property  with  the  name  of  Smith  ?" 

"  No ;  he  said  something  about  a  marriage  certificate 
having  been  lost — that  before  he  was  born  there  was  great 
irregularity  in  such  things  in  England." 

Hamilton  laughed. 

"  Is  it  not  true  ?"  asked  Madame  Rosenberg. 

"  Oh,  very  possibly." 

"  He  told  us,  too,  that  in  Scotland  people  could  be  married 
without  any  certificate  of  birth,  baptism,  or  confirmation — 
without  even  the  consent  of  their  friends.  Franz  says  this 
is  a  fact,  and  that  the  existence  of  such  a  law  is  a  great 
temptation  to  thoughtless  young  people." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  it  is,"  replied  Hamilton  ;  "  I  would  not 
answer  for  myself  were  I  led  into  temptation.  A  great- 
uncle  of  mine  made  a  marriage  of  this  kind  and  it  proved  a 
very  happy  one — his  friends,  to  provide  for  him  quickly, 
used  all  their  interest  to  send  him  out  to  India,  where  he 
made  an  enormous  fortune,  and  as  he  has  no  children,  has 
been,  ever  since  his  return,  a  sort  of  lawgiver  in  our  family. 
I  should  not  have  been  here  now,  if  old  Uncle  Jack  had  not 
said  that  travelling  was  necessary  to  make  me  a  man  of  the 
world,  and  that  in  Germany  alone  I  could  learn  to  speak  the 
German  well. 

"  But,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  this  marriage  was  a 
fortunate  exception,  for,"  she  added,  with  sundry  winks  and 
blinks  towards  Hildegarde,  "  for  marriages  against  the  con- 
sent of  relations  seldom  or  never  turn  out  well.  Let  me  give 
you  some  more  salad,  and  then,  as  you  are  to  leave  so  early 
to-morrow,  I  may  as  well  pack  up  your  things  to-night." 

"  By  no  means,"  cried  Hamilton,  "  I  must  beg  of  you  to 
send  for  Hans." 

"  Oh,  young  Hans  is  much  too  awkward,  and  the  old  man 
is  gone  to  bed  hours  ago.  I  have  been  thinking,  if  you  in- 
tend to  keep  Hans,  that  I  will  begin  to  teach  him  to  be 
handy,  and  instead  of  Hildegarde's  arranging  your  linen,  he 
must  learn  to  do  it  from  this  time  forward." 

"  That  would  be  very  kind  of  you,"  said  Hamilton. 


THE  STRUGGLE.  279 

"  For  the  sewing  on  of  buttons,  and  all  that,"  continued 
Madame  Rosenberg,  delighted  at  the  idea  of  giving  instruc- 
tion, "  he  must  of  course  still  apply  to  you,  Hildegarde." 

Hildegarde,  who  had  been  leaning  back  on  her  chair,  dili- 
gently puckering  and  plaiting  her  pocket  handkerchief,  looked 
up  for  a  moment,  and  replied : 

"  Yes,  mamma." 

"  I  shall  send  for  Hans,  and  give  him  his  first  lessons  to- 
night," said  Madame  Rosenberg,  moving  towards  the  door. 

"  Wait  a  moment  and  I  can  accompany  you,"  cried  Ham- 
ilton, quickly.     "  I  shall  be  ready  directly." 

"Don't  hurry  yourself,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg;  "you 
will  have  time  enough  before  Hans  comes  up  ;  and  I  must 
first  see  if  Peppy  has  fallen  asleep,  and  if  he  is  properly  cov- 
ered.    Don't  hurry  yourself." 

Why  did  Hamilton  bend  over  his  plate  ?  and  why  did  the 
colour  mount  to  his  temples  as  the  door  closed  ?  Did  he 
begin  to  entertain  doubts  of  his  indifference,  or  did  he  dread 
an  explanation  with  Hildegarde  ?  He  scarcely  knew  him- 
self, but  he  felt  uncomfortable,  and  gave  himself  a  quantity 
of  trouble  to  prevent  his  companion  from  observing  it. 

The  distant  roll  of  carriages  had  already  informed  them 
that  the  opera  was  over ;  but  it  was  not  until  the  sound  of 
voices  in  the  usually  quiet  street  had  made  the  immediate  re- 
turn of  her  father,  sister,  and  Major  Stultz  probable,  that 
Hildegarde  summoned  courage  to  say,  in  a  very  low  voice, 
and  without  looking  up,  "  What  must  you  think  of  me " 

"  Do  you  wish  to  know  what  I  think  of  you  ?"  asked  Ham- 
ilton, with  affected  negligence. 

"  Yes  ;  but  do  not  again  judge  too  harshly." 

"  I  think,"  he  said,  facing  her  deliberately,  "  I  think  you 
are  very  beautiful." 

"  Pshaw !"  cried  Hildegarde,  pushing  back  her  chair  an- 
grily, "  I  expected  a  very  different  answer." 

"  Something  different,"  said  Hamilton,  in  the  same  tone. 
"  Something  about  distraction  and  committing  crimes,  per- 


"  What  occurred  to-day  is  no  subject  for  a  jest,"  she  said 
seriously. 

"  So  I  thought  a  few  hours  ago,  also,"  said  Hamilton ; 
"  but  now  the  whole  affair  appears  to  me  rather  amusing  than 
otherwise.    Perhaps,  however,  your  cousin  alone  is  privileged 


280  THE  INITIALS. 

to  speak  to  you  in  this  manner,  in  which  case  you  must  pardon 
me  for  endeavouring  to  recollect  what  he  said  ;  but  it  was  so 
well  received  that " 

"  It  was  not  well  received  !"  cried  Hildegarde,  interrupting 
him.  "  You  know  it  was  not ;  and  I  am  ready,"  she  added, 
after  a  pause,  '-'  ready  to  repeat  to  you  every  word  of  our 
conversation." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Hamilton,  coldly,  "  but  I  have  already 
heard  enough  to  enable  me  to  imagine  the  remainder." 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Hildegarde,  hurriedly,  "  perhaps  you 
heard — and  saw ' 

"  I  heard  a  declaration  of  love  after  the  most  approved 
form,  a  proposal  to  commit  any  crime  or  crimes  likely  to 
render  him  interesting  and  acceptable  to  you.  I  remembered 
to  have  once  heard  you  tell  your  father  that  you  wished  to 
be  the  object  of  a  love  of  this  kind  ;  but  I  did  not  wait  to 
hear  your  answers,  it  was  your  half-suppressed  scream  which 
made  me  foolishly  imagine  you  wished  for  my  presence. 
When  I  saw  you  I  perceived  at  once  my  mistake,  and  re- 
turned to  my  room." 

"  Then  you  did  not  see  the — the  dagger " 

"What  dagger  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  his  curiosity  excited  in 
spite  of  himself. 

"  Oscar's  dagger — he  threatened  to  stab  himself!" 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha !"  laughed  Hamilton.  "  I  really  did  not 
think  him  capable  of  acting  so  absurdly.  I  gave  him  credit 
for  too  much  knowledge  of  the  world  to  treat  you  to  such  an 
insipid  scene." 

"  Then  you  do  not  think  he  was  serious  !" 

"  I  am  sure  he  was  not.  The  dagger  was  purposely  brought 
for  effect.  He  has  proved  himself  an  excellent  actor  to-day 
— tragic  as  well  as  comic,  it  seems." 

"  It  was  cruel  of  him  deliberately  to  frighten  me,"  said 
Hildegarde,  thoughtfully. 

"  It  was  unpardonable — inexcusable  his  doing  so,"  cried 
Hamilton,  "  for  he  thought  you  were  alone,  and  took  ad- 
vantage of  finding  you  unprotected." 

"  Most  men  take  advantage  of  finding  us  unprotected. 
After  the  events  of  to-day  I  may  say  all  men  do  so,"  replied 
Hildegarde,  with  so  much  reproachful  meaning  in  her  glance 
that  Hamilton  rose  from  his  seat  and  began  to  perambulate 
the  room,  occasionally  stopping  to  lean  on  the  stove,  until 


THE  DEPARTURE.  281 

her  father's  voice  and  approaching  steps  made  him  suddenly 
move  forward  towards  her,  as  if  he  expected  her  to  speak 
again.  She  remained,  however,  silent  and  motionless ;  and 
at  length,  overcome  by  a  mixture  of  anxiety  and  curiosity, 
and  with  an  ineffectual  effort  to  appear  indifferent,  he  said 
quickly,  "  I  thought  you  were  going  to  tell  me  what  you  said 
that  could  have  given  your  cousin  an  excuse  for  producing  a 
dagger." 

"  You  did  not  choose  to  hear  when  I  was  willing  to  tell 


you  ;  and  now " 

Here  Madame  Rosenberg  entered  the  room,  and  Hilde- 
garde  rose,  saying,  "  that  her  head  ached  intolerably,  and 
she  would  now  go  to  bed." 

"  Good-night !"  said  Hamilton.  "  I  hope  your  headache 
will  be  cured  by  a  long  sleep,  and  that  you  will  be  quite  well 
when  we  meet  again." 

"  Thank  you  ;  before  that  time  I  shall  most  probably  have 
altogether  forgotten  it,"  said  Hildegarde. 

That  means,  thought  Hamilton,  she  will  not  pour  out  my 
coffee  to-morrow  at  breakfast. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE   DEPARTURE. 


Hildegarde  did  not  appear  the  next  morning,  and  Ham- 
ilton breakfasted  with  Madame  Rosenberg  sitting  opposite  to 
him  in  a  striped  red  and  white  dressing-gown  ;  her  hair,  as 
usual,  twisted  up  to  the  very  roots  with  hair-pins,  to  prepare 
curls  which,  however,  seldom  made  their  appearance  at  home, 
excepting  on  the  evenings  which  the  Hoffmanns  spent  with 
her.  She  sat  opposite  to  him,  and  watched  while  he  vainly 
endeavoured  to  improve  his  coffee  by  adding  alternately  cream 
and  sugar.  "  One  never  enjoys  a  breakfast  at  this  early 
hour,"  she  observes  at  length,  "  the  coffee  is,  however,  quite 
as  good  as  usual ;  I  made  it  myself." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  said  Hamilton,  "  but  the  fact  is, 
I  am  so  accustomed  to  your  daughter  Hildegarde's  preparing 
it  for  me,  that  I  do  not  know  the  quantity  of  cream  and 

24* 


282  TEE  INITIALS. 

sugar  necessary — by-the-by,  I  hope  her  headache  is  better 
this  morning?" 

"  She  said  so,"  replied  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  but  I  found 
her  so  feverish,  and  looking  so  wretchedly  ill,  that  I  have 
forbidden  her  getting  up  until  Doctor  Berger  sees  her." 

"  You  do  not  apprehend  any  serious  illness,  I  hope  ?" 

"  Oh,  no — but  Crescenz  tells  me  that  she  slept  very  un- 
easily— had  frightful  dreams,  and  at  one  time  during  the 
night  fancied  someone  intended  to  stab  her !  Such  an  idea  ! 
I  suppose,"  she  added,  after  a  pause,  "  you  expect  Count  Zed- 
witz  to  call  for  you  ?" 

"  I  believe  so,"  said  Hamilton,  absently. 

"  I  am  beginning  rather  to  like  him,"  observed  Madame 
Rosenberg. 

Hamilton  did  not  appear  to  hear  her. 

"  You  are  going  to  a  gay  house,"  she  added,  "  at  least  it 
will  be  gay  on  such  an  Occasion."  » 

"  What  occasion  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  looking  up. 

"  Why,  did  you  not  tell  me  that  the  only  daughter  was 
going  to  be  married  ?  And  is  not  a  wedding  a  ver}T  gay 
thing?" 

"  Not  always,"  said  Hamilton,  "  for  brides  generally  shed 
tears  and  infect  the  bridesmaids,  and  the  mamma  half  faints, 
and  the  papa  is  agitated,  and  when  the  bridal  party  leave, 
the  house  is  immensely  dull,  until  it  fill  with  new  people 
again.  Altogether,  a  wedding  is  a  very  deadly-lively  fes- 
tivity, excepting  to  the  two  principal  actors." 

"  I  will  prove  the  contrary,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  you 
shall  see  how  gay  our  wedding  will  be — that  is,  Crescenz's  ! 
Did  I  tell  you  that  it  must  be  deferred  until  the  carnival  ?" 

"  Not  a  word — I  thought  it  was  to  take  place  before 
Christmas." 

"  Marriages  are  seldom  or  never  celebrated  before  Advent," 
said  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  but  at  all  events,  Major  Stultz's 
sister  has  died  suddenly,  and  he  must  leave  for  Nuremberg 
to-morrow." 

"  I  am  sorry  he  has  lost  his  sister,"  said  Hamilton,  com- 
passionately. 

"  Why,  in  fact,  the  loss  is  rather  a  gain,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg.  "  He  knew  very  little  about  her — she  was  un- 
married, rich,  and  stingy — always  on  the  point  of  making  a 
fool  of  herself  by  marrying  some  young  student  or  officer. 


THE  DEPARTURE.  283 

Now  the  Major  quietly  inherits  all  her  property — a  very 
pretty  addition  to  what  he  already  has.  I  told  Crescenz 
yesterday  evening  that  she  had  drawn  a  greater  prize  than 
she  expected." 

"  And  what  did  she  say?" 

"  Why,  not  much,  but  she  looked  exceedingly  pleased — her 
father  has  told  me  since  that  he  thinks  she  is  glad  that  her 
marriage  is  put  off,  and  does  not  care  in  the  least  about  the 
money,  of  which  she  has  not  yet  learned  the  value.  This 
may  be  partly  true — Crescenz  may  have  no  objection  to  a 
delay,  but  she  is  now  quite  satisfied  with  the  Major,  and  has 
no  wish  whatever  to  break  off  her  engagement.  Count 
Kaimund  has  been  of  great  use  to  her !" 

"  How  do  you  mean  ?"  asked  Hamilton  surprised. 

"  Why,  his  unpardonable  negligence  towards  Marie  de 
Hoffmann  forms  a  fine  contrast  to  the  Major's  attention  and 
handsome  presents.  Crescenz  is  very  childish,  but  she  has 
perceived  the  difference,  nevertheless,  and  I  have  not  neg- 
lected the  opportunity  to  tell  her  that  all  young  men  are 
careless  lovers,  and  still  more  careless  husbands,  and  that  I 
am  sure  she  will  be  much  happier  when  she  is  married  than 
Marie." 

"  The  carriage  is  come  !  The  carriage  is  come  for  Hamil- 
ton !"  cried  Peppy,  rushing  into  the  room ;  "  and  Count 
Zedwitz  is  coming  up  the  stairs !  and  Crescenz  is  hiding 
behind  the  kitchen-door !  and  Walburg  is  gone  with  Gustle 
to  school !  and  Dr.  Berger  is  in  Hildegarde's  room !  and 
papa  is  putting  on  his  coat !  and  he  wants  you  to  come  to 
him !" 

"  Well,  have  you  any  more  news  to  tell  me  before  I  go  ?" 
said  his  mother,  taking  up  her  bunch  of  keys  from  the  break- 
fast-table. "  Good-morning,  Count  Zedwitz — you  must  ex- 
cuse me — Dr.  Berger  is  here,  and " 

"  No  one  ill,  I  hope  ?"  said  Zedwitz. 

"  Hildegarde  is  ill,"  replied  Hamilton ;  "  have  you  any 
objection  to  waiting  until  we  hear  what  the  Doctor  says  ?" 

"  Quite  the  contrary,"  said  Zedwitz,  sitting  down,  evidently 
alarmed. 

"  In  the  meantime,  I  can  tell  Hans  to  carry  down  my  lug- 
gage," said  Hamilton. 

Hans  was  despatched  with  the  portmanteau,  carpet-bag, 
and  dressing-case  ;  but  Hamilton,  instead  of  returning  to  his 


284  THE  INITIALS. 

friend,  watched  until  Madame  Rosenberg  and  the  Doctor  had 
left  Hildegarde's  room,  and  walked  up  the  passage  together. 
A  moment  after  he  was  at  her  door,  and  had  knocked. 

"  Come  in,"  said  Hildegarde,  almost  gayly.  "  I  am  not  so 
ill  as  you  suppose  I" 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  Hamilton,  entering  as  he 
spoke. 

"  I — I — expected  papa,"  said  Hildegarde,  blushing  deeply. 

"  I  more  than  half  suspected  the  permission  to  enter  was 
not  intended  for  me,"  said  Hamilton,  u  but  I  really  cannot 
leave  you  without  having  obtained  pardon  for  having  offended 
you  last  night.  I  cannot  quit  you  for  so  long  a  time,  without 
the  certainty  of  your  forgiveness." 

"  It  is  granted — or  rather  I  have  nothing  to  forgive," 
replied  Hildegarde,  "  for  you  were  quite  right  not  to  listen  to 
my  confession,  though  I  remained  up  on  purpose  to  favour 
you  with  it."  She  had  become  very  pale  while  speaking, 
and  Hamilton  was  forcibly  reminded  of  all  her  long  and 
unwearied  attentions  to  him  during  his  illness.  He  wondered 
how  he  could  ever,  even  for  a  moment,  have  forgotten  them, 
and  remained  lost  in  thought,  until,  slightly  pointing  towards 
the  door,  she  wished  him  a  pleasant  journey  and  much 
amusement.  Instead  of  obeying  the  sign,  he  walked  directly 
forward,  saying,  "  You  must  not  expect  me  to  believe  that  L 
am  forgiven  until  you  have  told  me  all  I  refused  to  hear 
yesterday  evening." 

"  How  very  unconscionable  you  are,"  she  said,  with  a  faint 
smile.  "  When,  however,  I  tell  you  that  I  wish  you  to  leave 
my  room,  that  I  am  too  ill  to  talk,  I  am  sure  you " 

"  Oh,  of  course,  of  course,"  said  Hamilton,  quite  aware  of 
the  reasonableness  of  her  demand.  "  Only  one  thing  you 
must  tell  me,  and  that  is,  what  you  said  to  Raimund  which 
could  induce  him  to  threaten  to  kill  himself." 

"  Do  not  ask  me,"  said  Hildegarde,  uneasily. 

"  But  that  is  exactly  what  I  insist  upon  knowing,"  per- 
sisted Hamilton. 

"  You  said  you  came  to  ask  forgiveness,  but  it  seems  you 
have  fallen  into  your  usual  habit  of  commanding,  and " 

"  I  do  not  command,"  cried  Hamilton,  interrupting  her, 
"  I  do  not  command ;  but,"  he  added  in  a  very  low  voice, 
and  approaching  still  nearer,  "  I  entreat,  I  entreat  you  to  tell 
me  what  you  said  to  him." 


THE  DEPARTURE.  285 

"  I  reminded  him  that  he  was  betrothed  to  mj  friend," 
began  Hildegarde,  slowly  and  unwillingly. 


"  Well,  well ;  and  then- 


"  And  then — I  said — I  could  not  like  him  otherwise  than 
as  a — cousin." 

"  But  surely,  situated  as  he  is,  he  must  have  expected  just 
such  an  answer  from  you.  Were  he  free  and  independent, 
you  would  probably  have  spoken  differently.  Did  you  not 
console  him  by  telling  him  so?" 

Hildegarde  remained  silent,  her  eyes  almost  closed. 

"  And  if  you  told  him  that,"  continued  Hamilton,  "  there 
was  no  possible  excuse  for  the  dagger-scene ;  he  might  have 
been  despairing,  but  not  desperate,  on  such  an  occasion.  Tell 
me,  Hildegarde,  did  you  say  that  ?" 

"  No,"  she  replied,  almost  in  a  whisper,  "  no ;  for  though 
I  admire  Oscar,  I  do  not  love  him  at  all." 

"  Then  you  must  have  said  something  else !" 

"  You  are  worrying  me,"  she  murmured,  with  an  expres- 
sion of  pain. 

"  I  see  I  am,"  cried  Hamilton.  "  Forgive  me,  but  I  must 
ask  one  question  more.  Did  he  not  ask  you  if  you  loved 
another?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Hildegarde,  turning  away  her  face,  which  was 
once  more  covered  with  blushes. 

"  And  you  acknowledged  ?" 

"  I  acknowledged.  I  confessed  my  folly,  to  put  an  end  to 
the  wildest  ravings  and  most  impracticable  schemes  imagi- 
nable." 

"  And  you  named  the  object  of  your  preference?" 

"  Oh,  no,  no,  no  !" 

"  Hildegarde,"  cried  Hamilton,  hurriedly,  "  tell  me  at  once 
— answer  me  quickly,  have  you  chosen  Zedwitz  ?" 

Hildegarde  turned  still  more  away,  but  did  not  answer. 

"  I  understand  your  silence.  You  have  chosen  well — and," 
he  added,  after  a  slight  struggle,  "  wisely." 

Hildegarde  made  an  impatient  gesture  with  her  hand. 

"  Do  not  mistake  me,"  he  continued,  eagerly ;  "  I  am  con- 
vinced your  choice  has  not  in  the  least  been  influenced  by 
interested  motives.  Zedwitz  is  in  every  respect  worthy  of 
your  regard." 

Hildegarde  raised  herself  quickly  on  her  elbow,  and 
seemed  about  to  speak,  but  the  words  died  on  her  lips  when 


286  THE  INITIALS. 

she  perceived  Crescenz,  who  had,  as  usual,  entered  the  room 
noiselessly,  standing  between  them.  She  shrank  back,  her 
colour  changed  several  times  with  frightful  rapidity,  but  her 
voice,  though  faint,  was  perfectly  calm  as  she  requested  her 
sister  to  close  the  window  shutters,  and  every  trace  of  emo- 
tion disappeared  as  her  father  entering,  seated  himself  beside 
her  bed,  and  observed  that  she  looked  more  like  a  marble 
statue  than  a  living  person. 

Hamilton  was  at  the  moment  unable  to  articulate;  he 
shook  Mr.  Rosenberg's  hand,  and  left  the  room  precipitately. 
In  the  drawing-room  he  found  the  Doctor  assuring  Madame 
Rosenberg  that  Mademoiselle  Hildegarde  would  be  perfectly 
well  in  a  day  or  two.  Hamilton,  nevertheless,  requested  her 
to  write  to  him,  and  having  obtained  a  promise,  he  began  to 
hurry  Zedwitz's  departure. 

"  Does  your  servant  not  go  with  us,  Hamilton  ?"  asked 
Zedwitz. 

"  He  is  to  follow  with  Madame  Rosenberg's  letter  to-mor- 
row. Be  sure  to  bring  the  letter,  Hans  !"  said  Hamilton,  as 
he  wrapped  himself  in  his  cloak,  and  sank  back  in  the  cor- 
ner of  the  carriage. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE   LONG   DAY. 

Hamilton  could  not  help  feeling  flattered  at  the  evident 
pleasure  which  his  return  caused  to  every  member  of  the 
Rosenberg  family.  The  two  little  boys  began  immediately 
to  tell  him  that  the  Christmas-tree  was  expected  the  next 
day.  Gustle  said  that  he  had  written  a  list  of  all  the  toys 
he  wished  for,  had  placed  it  under  his  pillow,  and  that  the 
little  child  Christ  had  come  for  it  and  carried  it  off;  "  So, 
you  see,  I  must  have  been  very  good,  or  he  would  not  have 
taken  the  list,  and  I  shall  get  all  the  things  I  wrote  for." 

"  And,"  said  Peppy, "  mamma  met  the  infant  Christ  in  the 
Ludwig  Street,  and  he  asked  if  I  had  been  a  good  child,  and 


THE  LONG  DAY.  287 

when  mamma  said  yes,  lie  promised  to  fly  into  the  nursery 
to-morrow  evening  and  light  the  candles,  and  bring  me  a 
gun,  and  a  cart,  and  bon-bons,  and  gingerbread." 

"  To-morrow  is  Christmas-eve,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg, 
"  a  great  day  with  us.  Captain  Smith  told  me  that  you  do 
not  celebrate  it  in  the  same  manner  as  we  do.  As  to  G-ustle," 
she  added  in  a  whisper,  "  he  is  a  cunning  little  fellow,  and 
only  half  believes  what  he  says,  but  Peppy  has  still  all  the 
innocent  faith  of  childhood.  I,  for  my  own  part,  firmly 
believed  that  Jesus  gave  me  all  my  Christmas  presents  until 
I  was  nearly  ten  years  old ;  but  children  now  are  not  so 
easily  made  to  believe  what  we  say." 

"  I  don't  quite  like  this  idea,"  said  Hamilton.  "  Speaking 
in  this  way  seems  to  me  to  be  irreverent,  and  must  oblige 
you  to  tell  the  children  a  number  of  untruths." 

"  Ah,  bah  !"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg,  laughing,  "  you 
are  all  too  particular  in  this  respect." 

"  I  think,"  said  her  husband,  "  that  as  long  as  they  can 
believe  it,  they  may,  and  when  they  cease  to  do  so,  they 
naturally  think  that  it  is  G-od  who  has  given  us  the  means 
of  gratifying  their  wishes,  and  so  the  gifts  after  all  come 
from  him." 

"  Oh,  how  I  enjoy  the  idea  of  my  Christmas-tree  this 
year,"  exclaimed  Crescenz. 

"  Of  course  you  do,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  as  you 
know  that  you  will  get  so  many  presents.  The  Major  returns 
to-morrow  in  order  to  give  you  the  gold  chain  and  topaz 
ornaments  he  promised  you,  and  perhaps  he  may  bring  some- 
thing of  his  sister's  for  you  from  Nuremberg." 

"  And  what  do  you  expect  to  get  ?"  said  Hamilton,  turn- 
ing to  Hildegarde. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  replied,  looking  with  a  smile  towards 
her  father,  "  but  I  have  a  sort  of  idea  that  I  shall  get  my 
first  ball  dress  and  some  books.  Mamma  has  promised  me  a 
tree  for  myself,  so  perhaps  I  shall  give  you  some  of  my  bon- 
bons." 

"  How  I  wish  to-morrow  were  come  !"  cried  G-ustle. 

"  I  wish  dinner  were  on  the  table,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberg, 
"  although  we  get  nothing  now  but  veal  to  eat,  which  my 
wife  considers  as  a  sort  of  preservative  against  cholera." 

"  You  are  just  as  much  afraid  of  cholera  as  I  am,  Franz," 
she  said,  and  then  added  in  a  whisper  to  Hamilton,  "  He 


288  THE  INITIALS. 

laughs  at  me,  but  lie  takes  drops  and  pills  every  night. 
While  you  were  at  Edelhof,  we  had  some  scenes  which  would, 
perhaps,  have  alarmed  you.  First,  I  thought  I  had  got  the 
cholera,  but  it  was  only  some  fat  of  roast  lamb  which  had 
disagreed  with  me.  Then  the  cook  made  herself  ill  by 
eating  the  apples  which  I  had  given  her  that  the  children 
might  not  ask  for  them.     Then  Peppy " 

"  Dinner  is  on  the  table,"  cried  old  Hans,  merely  putting 
ais  grey  head  into  the  room. 

"  That's  right,''  cried  Mr.  Rosenberg,  "  and  now  I  request 
that  the  cholera  be  no  more  named  among  us.  A  fine  of  six 
kreutzers  for  every  time  the  word  is  said." 

"  Oh,  as  to  not  saying  the  word  '  cholera,'  "  began  his  wife. 

'•  A  fine,  a  fine,"  cried  Mr.  Rosenberg ;  "  the  money  shall 
be  put  into  a  box  and  given  to  the  poor." 

"  Oh,  dear,"  exclaimed  Crescenz,  "  I  must  take  great  care, 
or  all  my  pocket-money  will  be  spent  on  the  cho " 

Hildegarde's  hand  was  on  her  mouth  before  the  word  was 
pronounced.  The  little  boys  clapped  their  hands,  Hamilton 
laughed,  and  Mr.  Rosenberg  said  he  was  sure  that  his  wife 
and  Crescenz  would  prove  themselves  the  most  charitable  by 
their  contributions. 

The  next  morning  Hamilton  spent  in  choosing  his  presents  ; 
he  was  for  some  time  exceedingly  puzzled,  and  wavered  long 
between  books  and  bronze,  glass  and  gold ;  at  length  he 
recollected  having  heard  Hildegarde  once  say  that  she  wished 
for  nothing  in  this  world  so  much  as  a  little  watch,  but  that 
she  feared  she  never  would  be  in  possession  of  one.  This 
decided  at  once  his  doubts,  and  as  the  others  interested  him 
less,  he  had  soon  completed  his  purchases  with  a  large  box 
of  toys  for  the  children. 

On  his  return,  he  found  Fritz  at  home  for  the  holidays ; 
he  was  sitting  at  the  drawing-room  window  with  his  brothers, 
all  three  yawning  and  looking  most  melancholy.  "  What 
o'clock  is  it?"  was  the  exclamation  as  he  entered. 

"  Four  o'clock,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  but  why  do  you  look  so 
sorrowful  ?" 

"  Two  whole  hours  to  wait."  sighed  Fritz. 

"Two  long  hours,"  yawned  Gustle. 

"  Two  hours  before  the  angel  comes  to  light  the  candles 
and  ring  the  bell,"  said  Peppy. 

"  Pshaw,  mamma  might  light  the  candles  at  five  o'clock ; 


THE  LONG  DAY.  289 

it  will  be  dark  enough,  I  am  sure,"  said  Fritz,  in  a  whisper 
to  Hamilton. 

"  Where  are  your  sisters  ?" 

"  They  are  with  mamma,  hanging  the  bon-bons  and  fasten- 
ing the  wax  tapers  on  the  trees,  I  suppose ;  but  when  the 
presents  are  being  brought  in  they  will  be  sent  off  too, 
though  Crescenz  thinks  herself  old  enough  to  light  the 
candles  and  do  everything." 

"  In  what  room  are  they  ?" 

"  In  the  school-room,  but  you  need  not  expect  to  get  in  ; 
both  doors  are  locked." 

"  What  do  you  think  the  little  child  Jesus  will  send  you  ?" 
asked  Peppy,  approaching  Hamilton  confidentially.  "  Did 
you,  too,  put  a  list  under  your  pillow,  like  Gustle?  Next 
year,  if  I  can  write,  I  shall  ask  for  so  many  things.  Trum- 
pets, and  drums,  and  harlequins.  What  do  you  think  you 
will  get?" 

"  Bon-bons,  probably." 

"  And  something  else,  too,"  said  Gustle,  nodding  his  head. 

"  You  promised  not  to  tell,"  cried  Fritz,  threateningly 
approaching  his  brother. 

"Don't  you  think,"  cried  Gustle,  boldly,  "that  because 
you  wear  a  uniform,  I'm  afraid  of  you.  I  '11  tell  what  I 
like " 

Fritz  caught  him  by  the  collar,  Gustle  threw  off  his  arm, 
and  a  considerable  scuffle  ensued. 

"  Hildegarde  has  not  finished  the  travelling-bag,"  shouted 
Gustle,  angrily,  "  and  papa  says  it  is  just  as  well,  as  it  was 
not  a  civil  sort  of  present." 

At  this  moment  Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  entered  the 
room. 

"  Turned  out !  turned  out !"  cried  Fritz  and  Gustle,  unani- 
mously joining  in  the  attack  on  their  sisters. 

Hildegarde  smiled,  Crescenz  grew  red,  and  observed  that 
everything  was  ready ;  there  was  nothing  more  to  be  done. 

"  Turned  out  all  the  same,"  said  Fritz,  "  though  you  are 
nearly  sixteen,  and  going  to  be  married.     Ha  !  ha  !  ha  !" 

"  You  are  very  ill-natured,  Fritz,  always  talking  of  my 
going  to  be  married,  though  you  know  I  dislike  its  being 
spoken  of." 

"  Not  you !  Didn't  I  see  you  playing  grand  with  Lina 
Berger  when  I  was  at  home  last  Sunday  ?  You  both  seemed 
n        t  25 


290  THE  INITIALS. 

to  consider  Hildegarde  beneath  your  notice,  and  she  is  worth 
a  dozen  such  as  you,  and  a  hundred  such  as  Lina  Berger." 

"  I  was  learning  to  make  a  new  kind  of  purse." 

"  As  if  I  did  not  know  the  purses  were  all  made !  No, 
you  were  talking  of  old  Count  Zedwitz,  who  was  so  ill  that 
the  Doctor  had  to  visit  him  at  his  castle.  I  heard  all  you 
said,  and  understood  you,  too,  though  you  spoke  French." 

Crescenz  blushed  deeply.  Hildegarde  became  very  pale, 
turned  suddenly  to  her  sister,  and  said,  in  a  scarcely  audible 
voice,  "  Crescenz,  you  surely  have  not  had  the  cruelty  to  ex- 
plain to  Lina  Berger,  or  gratify  her  curiosity?" 

"  Lina  suspected  almost  everything,  and  asked  me  so  many 
questions  that  I  did  not  know  what  to  say.  You  forget  that 
the  Doctor  was  sent  for,  and  that  the  old  Count  was  ill  from 
mental  agitation  ;  I  dare  say  he  told  him  everything." 

"  What  he  left  untold  you  have  supplied.  It  is  the  last 
time  I  shall  ever  confide  in  you." 

"  Don't  be  angry,  Hildegarde,"  cried  Crescenz,  with  tears 
in  her  eyes ;  "  surely  it  is  no  disgrace  to  you  that  such  a  man 
as  Count  Zedwitz  wished  to " 

"  Silence  !"  cried  Hildegarde,  sternly,  "  and  never  mention 
his  name  again." 

"  Whew,"  whistled  Fritz ;  "  Hildegarde  is  in  a  passion  ; 
look  at  her  eyes  !  Fight  it  out,  Cressy,  and  then  make  it  up 
again  !" 

But  Crescenz  threw  herself  on  her  knees  before  her  sister, 
and,  seizing  her  hands,  faltered,  "  Oh,  Hildegarde,  forgive 
me;  I  have  done  wrong,  but  you  know  that  Lina  always 
makes  me  do  as  she  pleases.  Forgive  me — only  say  that  you 
forgive  me  this  time  !" 

"  I  forgive  you,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  but  I  never  can  trust 
you  again." 

The  sound  of  Madame  Rosenberg's  voice  speaking  to 
Major  Stultz  in  the  adjoining  room  made  Crescenz  spring  up 
and  follow  the  children,  who  ran  to  meet  him. 

Hamilton  looked  at  Hildegarde,  but  did  not  utter  a  word. 
Every  feature  of  her  face  expressed  intense  annoyance,  as 
she  slowly  turned  to  the  window  and  leaned  her  head  against 
it.  The  greetings  in  the  next  room  were  cordial ;  the  chil- 
dren boisterously  reminded  Major  Stultz  of  the  presents 
which  he  had  promised  to  bring  them  from  Nuremberg. 

"  They  are  come  or  coming,"  he  answered  ;  "  I  had  them 


THE  LONG  DAY.  291 

all  packed  up ;  and  only  think,  the  infant  Christ  met  me  on 
my  way  here,  took  them  all  from  me,  and  promised  to  place 
them  all  under  the  Christmas-tree  this  evening  himself." 

"  Well,"  cried  Fritz,  "  I  must  say  that  this  24th  of  Decem- 
ber is  the  very  longest  day  in  the  whole  year." 

"  And  yet  it  is  generally  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  short- 
est," said  Major  Stultz,  laughing;  he  advanced  towards 
Hamilton  and  shook  his  hand. 

"  You  are  a  new  arrival  as  well  as  myself,  I  hear.  All  my 
people  in  Nuremberg  tried  to  persuade  me  to  stay  there  in 
order  to  be  out  of  the  way  of  the  cholera,  and  they  would, 
perhaps,  have  succeeded,  had  not  my  impatience  to  see  Cre- 
scenz  again  been  so  great ;  besides,  I  hope  to  hurry  matters 
by  my  presence,  and  that  in  about  a  fortnight  at  furthest, 
Madame  Rosenberg " 

"  I  have  no  objection,  my  dear  Major,  but  Franz  has  taken 
it  into  his  head  that  Crescenz  ought  to  wait  until  after  her 
birthday,  and  go  to  one  ball  with  her  sister  before  her  mar- 
riage. We  do  not  yet  know  when  the  first  museum  ball  will 
take  place." 

"  Pooh,  nonsense  !  She  can  go  to  the  ball  after  our  mar- 
riage, just  as  well  as  before  it;  eh,  Crescenz?" 

Crescenz  smiled  unmeaningly,  and  Hildegarde  turned  the 
conversation  by  telling  her  mother  that  the  Hoffmanns  had 
requested  permission  to  come  to  the  Christmas-tree  in  the 
evening,  to  see  the  presents. 

"  You  have  invited  them,  of  course.  The  Bergers  are 
coming  too,  and  old  Madame  Lustig  ;  I  invited  her  because 
I  intend  to  ask  her  to  take  charge  of  you  all  some  day  next 
month,  as  I  have  promised  to  visit  my  father  at  the  iron- 
works ;  besides,  she  has  taken  a  deal  of  trouble  about  work- 
women for  Crescenz,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing  ;  I  expect  her 
to  offer  to  stay  here  to-night  and  take  care  of  the  children 
until  we  return  from  the  midnight  mass.  I  hope,  Major,  you 
can  remain  awake  until  twelve  o'clock." 

"  In  Crescenz's  society  I  can  answer  for  myself;  otherwise 
I  must  say  I  consider  nine  o'clock  as  the  most  rational  hour 
for  retiring  to  rest." 

"  But  you  will  go  with  us  to  hear  the  high  mass  at  mid- 
night, won't  you?" 

"  Oh,  of  course." 

"  Come,  girls,  assist  me  to  arrange  the  tea  things ;  we  wiV 


292  THE  INITIALS. 

not,  however,  employ  Mr.  Hamilton  to  make  tea  this  time, 
but  he  may  help  to  carry  the  long  table  out  of  the  next  room 
for  us." 

Hamilton  and  Major  Stultz  carried  in  the  table,  and  every- 
thing was  soon  arranged  for  the  expected  guests. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE   CHRISTMAS-TREE,  AND    MIDNIGHT   MASS. 

The  Hoffmanns  arrived,  and  with  them  Count  Raimund. 
Hamilton  watched  Hildegarde's  reception  of  the  latter,  and 
forgetting  the  three  weeks  he  had  passed  at  Edelhof,  was 
surprised  to  find  that  she  met  her  cousin  without  the  slight- 
est embarrassment ;  he  perceived,  too,  that  Raimund  had 
contrived  to  ingratiate  himself  with  Madame  Rosenberg  ;  she 
greeted  him  with  a  familiar  nod,  as  he  entered,  and  the  chil- 
dren's manner  (no  bad  test  of  intimacy)  convinced  him  that 
Raimund's  visits  must  have  been  numerous  during  his 
absence.  Fritz  smiled  saucily,  and  raised  his  hand  to  his 
forehead  in  military  salute ;  Grustle,  with  his  usual  rudeness, 
seized  his  coat,  and  began  to  swing  himself  backwards  and 
forwards  by  it:  while  Peppy  took  possession  of  the  un- 
buckled sword,  and  rode  round  the  room  upon  it,  until  his 
mother,  irritated  by  the  noise,  forcibly  took  it  from  him,  and 
shoving  him  with  his  brother  Gustle  into  the  next  room,  de- 
clared that  if  they  were  so  ill-behaved,  the  infant  Christ 
would  pass  by  their  house,  and  they  would  get  neither  Christ- 
mas-boxes nor  bon-bons.  "  Do  you  know,"  she  said,  turning 
to  Count  Raimund,  "  that  Mr.  Hamilton  is  quite  shocked  at 

my  telling  the  children    such   stories?     He   says "  but 

the  entrance  of  the  Bergers  and  Madame  Lustig  gave  her 
thoughts  another  direction.  The  latter  was  a  red-faced, 
stout,  jolly-looking  widow  of  at  least  fifty  years  of  age;  her 
nose  was  extremely  thick,  and  her  forehead  extremely  low  ; 
she  seemed  very  glad  to  see  everybody,  and  made  tremen^ 
dously  low  curtsies  in  all  directions.     Madame  Berger  im- 


THE  CHRISTMAS-TREE,  AND  MIDNIGHT  MASS.      293 

mediately  took  possession  of  Hamilton,  saying  that  she  had 
a  lot  of  messages  to  deliver  from  Theodor  Biedermann. 

"  I  hope  he  intends  to  come  here  to-morrow ;  I  shall  be 
glad  to  see  him,  and  commence  my  studies  again." 

"  If  we  may  believe  him,"  said  Madame  Berger,  laughing, 
"  Hildegarde  has  made  great  progress  during  your  absence  ; 
he  says  she  writes  German  as  well  as  French  now,  and  that 
is  saying  a  good  deal ;  but  he  complained  bitterly  of  the  noise 
which  the  children  made  while  he  was  giving  his  lessons,  and 
regretted  the  tranquillity  of  your  room.  Of  course,  I.  re- 
minded him  of  the  day  I  found  you  fencing  !" 

"  Our  lesson  was  over  when  you  arrived ;  I  assure  you  we 
were  always  exceedingly  attentive  and  well-behaved." 

"  And  Hildegarde  sitting  there  reading,  as  if  she  were 
quite  alone.  By-the-by,  have  you  begun  your  English 
studies  with  her  again  ?" 

"  Not  yet ;  but  I  am  quite  ready,  if  she  feels  disposed." 

"  You  intend,  perhaps,  to  enter  the  ranks  of  her  adorers  ?" 

"  I  only  aspire  to  being  among  her  friends  at  present." 

"  But  I  can  tell  you  she  will  not  be  satisfied  with  any- 
thing less  than  the  most  unlimited  devotion." 

"  I  dare  say  she  will  find  people  enough  willing  to  com- 
ply with  her  demands." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  If  everything  ends  like  the  Zedwitz 
affair,  it  would  be  better  if  she  turned  her  mind  to  some- 
thing rational.  You  know,"  she  added,  lowering  her  voice 
confidentially,  "  you  know  that  at  Seon,  and  also  here,  she 
encouraged  Count  Max  Zedwitz  in  every  possible  manner ; 
met  him  in  the  cloisters,  and  sat  beside  him  at  table  every 
day  at  Seon,  and  here  let  him  know  every  time  she  went  on 
a  walking  party " 

"  I  think,"  said  Hamilton  "  you  are  rather  mistaken  in 
supposing  that  she " 

"  Oh,  I  am  not  at  all  mistaken.  She  made  him,  in  the 
most  artful,  deliberate  manner,  so  in  love  that  he  actually 
took  it  into  his  head  to  marry  her.  Such  an  idea,  you  know  ! 
And  his  father  a  knight  of  St.  George,  and  all  that." 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  his  father  being  a  knight  of  St. 
George  could  make  any  difference." 

"  What !  When  they  can  prove  sixteen  noble  generations 
on  both  sides !  When  Count  Max  can  become  a  knight  of 
St.  George  whenever  he  pleases !     When  marrying  a  person 

25* 


294  THE  INITIALS. 

who  is  not  noble  would  deprive  his  children  and  children's 
children  of  the  right  of  claiming  an  order  which  can  be  ob- 
tained on  no  other  terms." 

"  Ah,  I  understand." 

"  Hildegarde,"  continued  Madame  Berger,  "  was  always 
desperately  proud,  and  her  greatest  ambition  is  to  marry 
some  one  of  rank.  A  man  must  be  a  count  or  baron  at  least 
before  she  thinks  him  worthy  of  her  notice.  Now,  such  a 
man  as  Count  Zedwitz  was  just  what  she  wished,  and  she 
persuaded  him  to  write  a  letter  making  her  a  formal  offer  of 
his  hand ;  this  she  exhibited  in  triumph  to  her  father,  who, 
however,  had  received  about  the  same  time  from  the  old 
Count  a  most  furious  epistle,  telling  him  that  his  son's  for- 
tune and  rank  entitled  him  to  look  for  a  wife  among  the  first 
families  in  Germany — that  a  marriage  with  Mademoiselle 
Rosenberg  now,  or  at  any  future  period,  was  totally  out  of 
the  question.  He  supposed  that  Mr.  Rosenberg  would  not 
desire  any  other  sort  of  connection  for  his  daughter,  and  there- 
fore had  better  join  him  in  putting  an  end  to  any  further 
intimacy.  This,  with  a  few  other  impertinences  of  the  same 
description,  made  even  good,  quiet  Mr.  Rosenberg  outrageous, 
and  he  insisted  on  Hildegarde's  refusing  Count  Max — if  that 
be  called  a  refusal  where  marriage  was  a  chimera  !" 

"  Not  so  much  a  chimera  as  you  imagine,"  said  Hamilton, 
"  for  Zedwitz  had  procured  the  necessary  security — as  I  hap- 
pen to  know,  for  he  himself  told  me  so  at  Edelhof — and  his 
father  cannot  disinherit  him." 

"  So  !  Well,  if  that  be  the  case,  Mr.  Rosenberg  might  as 
well  have  pocketed  the  affront — namely,  the  letter,  and  let 
his  daughter  marry  him.  Perhaps,  after  his  anger  has 
cooled,  he  may  wish  he  had  acted  differently,  or  at  least  wish 
that  he  had  left  an  opening  for  a  renewal  of  the  affair." 

"  Hildegarde  has  made  a  great  sacrifice  to  please  her 
father,"  observed  Hamilton. 

"  Not  so  great  as  you  suppose ;  for  Crescenz  told  me  that 
she  was  quite  as  angry  as  her  father  about  the  letter." 

"  Of  that  I  have  no  doubt ;  but,  nevertheless,  the  sacrifice 
was  great." 

"  You  mean  on  account  of  his  rank,  or  the  fortune  which 
his  miserly  old  father  is  always  increasing  ?  Hildegarde  has 
such  an  exalted  idea  of  her  beauty  that  she  imagines  she 
can  find  a  Count  Zedwitz  whenever  she  pleases.     Crescenz 


THE  CHRISTMAS-TREE,  AND  MIDNIGHT  MASS.      295 

sa}'s  she  took  the  whole  business  very  coolly  after  the  first 
burst  of  anger  was  over.  When  Count  Zedwitz  had  left, 
her  father,  as  usual,  praised  her  conduct  extravagantly,  and, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  thanked  her  for  her  compliance  with 
his  wishes.  What  do  you  think  she  did  ?  Told  him  in  her 
customary  ungracious  manner  that  she  did  not  deserve  either 
his  praises  or  thanks,  for  that  it  had  caused  her  no  great 
effort  to  dismiss  Count  Zedwitz  !" 

"  Extraordinary — inexplicable  girl,"  murmured  Hamilton. 

"  Not  at  all,"  cried  Madame  Berger,  colouring,  "not  at 
all ;  for,  added  to  her  pride,  she  is  naturally  violent  and  has 
strong  passions.  I  am  convinced  she  will  never  marry  any- 
one who  is  not  of  rank,  but  it  is  both  possible  and  probable 
that  she  may  take  it  into  her  head  to  fall  desperately  in  love 
with  some  one  whom  she  considers  beneath  her.  I  have 
strong  suspicion  that  she  has  done  so,  and  that  Theodor 
Biedermann  is  the  favoured  individual." 

"  Biedermann  !"  repeated  Hamilton,  amazed. 

"  Yes,  Theodor  Biedermann  ;  but  with  him  she  will  find 
all  her  arts  and  vehemence  useless.  He  scarcely  even  allows 
her  to  be  good-looking  !" 

"  I  think  you  are  altogether  mistaken  about  her,"  began 
Hamilton.     "  I  never  perceived  the  slightest " 

"  You  have  been  absent  more  than  three  weeks,"  said 
Madame  Berger,  interrupting  him.  "  If  I  have  made  a 
right  guess,  Hildegarde  will  receive  a  severe  lesson,  which  I 
hope  may  be  of  use  to  her." 

"  How  do  you  mean?" 

'  I  mean  that  Theodor  will  treat  her  love  with  the  scorn 
which  it  deserves." 

Hamilton  shook  his  head  and  laughed — rather  ironically. 

"  How  long  are  we  to  continue  in  the  dark  ?"  asked  Mr. 
Rosenberg  from  the  other  end  of  the  room.  "Pray,  Ba- 
bette,  let  us  have  at  least  a  pair  of  candles,  that  we  may  not 
be  blinded  when  your  tree  dazzles  our  astonished  eyes !" 

The  candles  were  unwillingly  granted,  and  Madame  Rosen- 
berg left  the  room  mysteriously  with  Madame  Lustig. 

"Come  here,  boys,"  cried  Mr.  Rosenberg.  "Let  us  take 
our  station  near  the  door,  that  we  may  enter  first." 

Doctor  Berger  came  towards  Hamilton,  and  began  a  con- 
versation about  the  different  ways  of  celebrating  Christmas 
in  different  countries,  and  the  habit  of  giving  presents  at 


296  THE  INITIALS. 

that  time  or  on  New  Year's  Day,  while  Hamilton's  eyes  in- 
voluntarily strayed  towards  Hildegarde,  who,  sitting  at  the 
other  end  of  the  room  with  Count  Rainiund  and  Mademoi- 
selle de  Hoffmann,  was  speaking  eagerly  with  the  latter,  all 
unconscious  that  her  cousin  was  gazing  at  her  with  an  emo- 
tion which  his  sanguine  temperament  betrayed  in  rapid 
changes  of  colour,  although  he  did  not  seem  to  take  any  part 
in  the  conversation. 

At  length  a  bell  was  rung,  and  the  door  thrown  open 
which  led  to  the  school-room.  The  children  rushed  forward 
with  shouts  of  joy,  followed,  somewhat  tumultuously,  by 
their  father  and  his  guests.  Hamilton  was  the  last,  and  had 
more  time  to  prepare  his  eyes  for  the  blaze  of  light  which 
they  had  to  encounter.  In  the  middle  of  the  room  was  a 
large  round  table,  on  which  was  placed  a  tall  fir  tree,  hung 
with  a  profusion  of  bon-bons,  of  the  most  varied  colours,  and 
sparkling  like  gems  as  they  reflected  the  light  of  the  hun- 
dreds of  wax  tapers  which  were  fastened  on  the  dark  green 
branches  in  their  vicinity.  On  the  top  of  the  tree  was  a 
diminutive  angel,  dressed  in  gold  and  silver ;  in  the  moss 
which  covered  the  root  was  a  wax  infant,  surrounded  by 
lambs.  The  table  itself  was  covered  with  toys  of  every  de- 
scription, from  drawing-books  and  boxes  for  Fritz,  to  drums 
and  trumpets  for  Peppy.  There  were  two  other  tables  with 
smaller  trees,  to  which  Madame  Rosenberg  conducted  Hilde- 
garde and  Crescenz.  The  noise  was  excessive ;  everyone 
spoke  and  nobody  listened.  Old  Hans  and  the  cook  were 
not  forgotten ;  they  stood,  with  their  Christmas-boxes  and 
pockets  of  gingerbread,  laughing  spectators  near  the  door. 

Hamilton  received  a  cigar-case  from  Madame  Rosenberg, 
which  she  had  worked  most  elaborately  for  him  during  his 
absence,  and  from  Crescenz  a  scarlet  purse,  glittering  with 
steel  beads  ;  this  he  particularly  admired,  while  Major  Stultz 
told  him  he  was  half  inclined  to  be  jealous,  it  was  so  much 
prettier  than  the  one  which  she  had  made  for  him.  The 
presents  which  Hamilton  offered  in  return  were  accepted 
with  the  best  grace  imaginable,  and  he  now  amused  himself 
watching  Crescenz's  face,  as  she  opened  the  various  parcels 
and  inspected  the  contents  of  the  numerous  boxes  and  cas- 
kets on  her  table.  Some  natural  disappointment  was  at 
times  legible  when,  instead  of  the  expected  jewels,  respecta- 
ble rows  of  forks  and  spoons  met  her  eager  eyes ;  but  at 


THE  CHRISTMAS-TREE,  AND  MIDNIGHT  MASS.      297 

length  a  case  of  red  morocco  disclosed  such  treasures,  that 
Hamilton,  after  having  listened  to  her  expressions  of  rapture 
for  a  few  minutes,  moved  towards  Hildegarde,  who  stood  be- 
fore her  table  turning  over  the  leaves  of  some  books,  which 
had  been  placed  beside  the  expected  ball  dress  and  wreath 
of  roses. 

"  I  have  nothing  to  offer  you,"  she  said,  slightly  blushing 
as  he  approached,  "  nothing  but  some  bon-bons"  and  she 
began  to  untie  some  from  her  tree  as  she  spoke. 

Hamilton  took  them,  and  with  unusual  diffidence  presented 
the  case  containing  the  watch.  She  had  no  sooner  opened 
it,  than  she  blushed  excessively,  and  endeavouring  to  replace 
it  in  his  hands — failing  in  her  endeavour,  she  put  it  on  the 
table,  saying,  "  Mr.  Hamilton,  I  cannot  possibly  accept  any- 
thing of  such  value." 

"  Your  mother  and  sister  have  not  pained  me  by  making 
any  difficulties,"  he  said,  reproachfully. 

"  Then  you  must  have  given  them  something  very  dif- 
ferent." 

This  was  undeniable,  and  Hamilton  was  silent.  Mr.  Rosen- 
berg came  to  his  daughter's  assistance,  to  Hamilton's  annoy- 
ance agreed  with  her,  and  "  hoped  the  watch  was  not  defi- 
nitely purchased." 

"  Of  course  it  is,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  I  never  dreamed  of 
such  a  trifling  thing  being  refused." 

"  It  is  only  trifling  in  size,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberg  holding  it 
toward  his  wife,  who  had  joined  them.  "  Fortunately,  how- 
ever, a  watch  will  be  quite  as  useful  to  you  as  to  Hildegarde, 
as  you  can  use  it  yourself." 

"  But  unfortunately,  I  have  already  two,  one  which  1 
received  from  my  uncle,  and  one  from  my  mother,"  said 
Hamilton,  in  a  tone  of  great  vexation. 

"  If  that  be  the  case,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  in  a  low 
voice  to  her  husband,  "  perhaps " 

"  Babette !"  he  exclaimed,  "  you  don't  know  the  value  of 
such  a  watch  as  this !" 

"  Englishmen  do  not  consider  value  as  we  do — I  only 
thought  if  Mr.  Hamilton  had  really  bought  it  for  Hilde- 
garde, and  cannot  use  it  himself,  it  will  be  ungracious  if  she 
refuses  it." 

"  Very  ungracious,  indeed  !"  cried  Hamilton  eagerly. 

Madame  Rosenberg  drew  her  husband  aside,  and  began  a 


298  THE  INITIALS. 

whispered  discussion.  Hildegarde  leaned  against  her  table 
in  painful  embarrassment,  while  Hamilton  quietly  withdrew 
from  his  pocket  a  long  gold  chain  which  he  had  not  before 
ventured  to  produce,  and  attached  it  to  the  watch. 

"  I  shall  not  be  allowed  to  accept  it,"  said  Hildegarde, 
shaking  her  head. 

"  You  will,"  said  Hamilton. 

He  was  right;  her  father,  in  a  reluctant,  half-annoyed 
manner,  gave  his  consent.  "  Thank  you  !  Oh,  thank  you  !" 
cried  Hamilton,  with  such  warmth  that  Madame  Berger  came 
skipping  from  the  other  side  of  the  room,  exclaiming,  "  I 
positively  must  know  what  Hildegarde  has  given  you  ;  you 
seem  so  uncommonly  pleased  !" 

"  That  is  a  secret,"  said  Hamilton,  laughingly  turning 
away,  while  she  pursued  him  with  guesses. 

"It  is  not  the  half-finished  travelling-bag,  at  all  events,  for 
you  could  not  put  that  into  your  pocket.  Nor  is  it  a  purse, 
or  a  cigar-case.  Oh,  I  know,  a  pair  of  slippers,  or  a  port- 
folio worked  on  canvas  !  You  may  as  well  tell  me,  for  I  shall 
hear  at  all  events  from  Crescenz !  Have  you  seen  what 
splendid  ornaments  the  Major  has  given  her?  And  the 
three  bracelets  ?  And  then  such  droves  of  coffee-spoons  as 
her  god-mother  has  sent  her  from  Augsburg — and  Cressy  is 
so  childish  that  she  does  not  care  in  the  least  for  spoons  ?" 

Madame  Rosenberg  went  round  the  room  distributing  bon- 
bons and  trifling  presents,  which  sometimes  caused  amuse- 
ment when  they  contained  an  allusion  to  well-known  foibles 
or  peculiarities.  The  tapers  on  the  tree  were  nearly  burned 
out.  Mr.  Rosenberg  desired  old  Hans  to  extinguish  them, 
and  having  placed  candles  on  the  table,  the  children  were 
left  to  play  with  their  newly-acquired  treasures,  and  the  rest 
of  the  party  adjourned  to  the  drawing-room. 

Everyone  seemed  happy  excepting  Raimund,  who,  with  a 
flushed  face  and  contracted  brow,  took  the  place  assigned  him 
beside  his  betrothed,  and  poured  into  her  ear  at  intervals  his 
discontented  observations ;  her  good-humoured  laughing 
answers  appearing  to  act  like  fuel  on  the  malevolent  fire 
burning  within  him.  At  length  he  suddenly  started  from 
his  chair,  and  pleading  business  of  importance  at  the  bar- 
racks, he  left  the  room  with  little  ceremony,  and  negligently 
trailed  his  sword  after  him  along  the  corridor. 

"  Well,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  as  she  carved  a  prettily- 


THE  CHRISTMAS-TREE,  AND  MIDNIGHT  MASS.      299 

decorated  cake  into  neat  slices  ;  "  well,  we  can  do  without 
him,  now  that  the  Major  is  here  to  take  his  place  at  whist  or 
taroc,  but  I  cannot  conceive  what  has  put  him  out  of  temper  !" 

"Who  is  out  of  temper?"  asked  Madame  de  Hoffmann, 
who,  as  usual,  had  only  heard  the  last  words. 

"  Nobody,  mamma,"  answered  her  daughter  quickly. 
"  Poor  Oscar,"  she  added,  turning  to  Hildegarde  ;  "  I  believe 
he  is  annoyed  at  not  being  able  to  give  such  presents  as  your 
sister  has  received  from  Major  Stultz.  It  would  have  been 
better  had  we  not  come  to  your  Christmas  fete ;  I  had  no 
idea  it  would  be  so  splendid." 

"  That  is  a  fancy  which  papa  and  mamma  have  in  com- 
mon," answered  Hildegarde ;  "  Crescenz  being  a  bride  has 
made  our  Christmas  unusually  brilliant,  I  suppose.  I  dare 
say,  however,  your  tree  was  very  handsome.  Why  did  you 
not  invite  us  to  see  it?" 

"Oscar  did  not  wish  it — and  he  forbade  my  saying  that 
this  bracelet  was  from  him,  when  Crescenz  showed  me  hers. 
I  hope  he  does  not  think  I  expected  or  wished  for  such  pres 
ents  as  she  has  received !  By-the-by,  dear,  do  tell  your 
mother  not  to  make  any  remarks  when  he  is  a  little  odd  at 
times ;  for  mamma,  who,  you  know,  at  first  so  wished  and 
promoted  our  marriage,  has  lately  been  endeavouring,  under 
all  sorts  of  pretences,  to  break  it  off.  If  it  were  not  for 
Oscar's  father's  extraordinary  patience  with  her,  I  do  believe 
our  engagement  would  be  at  an  end  at  once.  I  dare  not  tell 
her  how  sombre  and  dissatisfied  he  has  become  of  late  ;  she 
would  attribute  it  to  the  supposed  preference  for  you,  which 
I  cannot  persuade  her  is  an  absurdity,  although  she  begins 
to  see  that  it  is  not  returned  on  your  part.  Madame  Berger 
has  been  endeavouring  to  enlighten  her " 

"  By  telling  her  something  very  ill-natured  of  me,  most 
probably,"  said  Hildegarde,  colouring. 

"  She  told  us  a  long  story  about  that  good-natured  Count 
Zedwitz  this  morning,  of  which  I  do  not  believe  anything, 
excepting  that  he  wished  to  marry  you,  and  that  his  family 
perhaps  were  opposed  to  the  match  ;  and  she  ended  by  saying 
that  you  had  taken  a  fancy  to  that  young  student,  Bieder- 
mann,  who  is  giving  you  lessons  in  German." 

"  Just  like  her !"  exclaimed  Hildegarde,  indignantly. 

11  Oscar,  who  was  present,  laughed  excessively  ;  indeed,  he 
was  so  amused  at  her  chattering  that  he  became  quite  gay, 


300  THE  INITIALS. 

and  was  more  amiable  than  I  have  known  him  for  a  long 
time,  until  he  came  here  and  saw  Crescenz's  bracelets  and 
that  watch  which  Mr.  Hamilton  gave  you." 

Hildegarde  bent  down  her  head  to  hide  a  blush  of  which 
she  was  but  too  conscious.  "  I  have  no  intention  of  keeping 
the  watch  longer  than  this  evening,"  she  said,  after  a 
thoughtful  pause ;  '•  it  is  a  much  too  valuable  present  to  ac- 
cept from  a — a  stranger — but  that  is  of  no  consequence  to 
Oscar,  who  might  easily  have  found  some  better  employment 
than  laughing  at  me  with  Lina  Berger !" 

"  My  dear  creature,  he  was  laughing  at  her !  He  says 
she  was  jealous  about  that  little  Biedermann  !" 

"  Pshaw !"  cried  Hildegarde,  impatiently. 

"  Will  you  not  at  least  tell  me  the  true  state  of  the  case 
about  Count  Zedwitz?'" 

"  Not  now — not  now,  Marie — in  fact  I  never  wish  to  men- 
tion the  subject  again,"  said  Hildegarde,  arising  abruptly 
and  going  towards  the  door,  which,  however,  she  had  no 
sooner  reached  than  she  was  recalled  by  her  mother,  and  de- 
sired to  carry  round  the  cake  to  the  expectant  company,  who 
had  been  already  supplied  with  weak  tea  strongly  perfumed 
with  vanilla. 

Hamilton  was  so  occupied  by  Madame  Berger  that  he  did 
not  observe  Hildegarde  as  she  passed  him  ;  his  companion's 
eyes  followed  her  for  some  time  furtively,  and  then  turning 
to  him  she  observed  with  a  laugh, ';  Did  you  not  see  how  Hil- 
degarde's  hand  trembled  as  she  offered  us  the  cake?  I  am 
sure  she  has  been  in  a  passion,  though  I  cannot  imagine 
about  what,  as  she  has  only  been  speaking  with  her  friend 
Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann  !  Berger  has  become  physician 
to  the  Hoffmanns  ever  since  your  illness ;  they  took  such  a 
fancy  to  him,  and  are  so  civil  to  me,  that  I  often  visit  them 
now.  By-the-by,  that  Count  Baimund  is  charming,  but  he 
does  not  seem  to  care  in  the  least  for  his  betrothed,  who  cer- 
tainly is  not  at  all  pretty.  She  did  not  look  half  pleased  at 
his  talking  so  much  to  me  this  morning  !  A  little  pug-faced 
person  such  as  she  is  has  no  sort  of  right  to  be  jealous,  you 
know,  and  the  sooner  she  learns  to  bear  his  paying  attentions 
to  other  women  the  better  !" 

"  How  kind  of  you  to  give  her  such  a  lesson  ?" 

"  I  see,  by  your  manner  that  you  think  me  ill-natured," 
said  Madame  Berger. 


THE   CHRISTMAS-TREE,  AND   MIDNIGHT  MASS.      301 

"  Or  malicious  !"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Perhaps  I  was  a  little,"  said  Madame  Berger,  with  an 
affectation  of  repentive  pensiveness.  "  After  all,  Madem- 
oiselle de  Hoffmann  is  a  good-natured,  a  most  inoffensive 
person  !" 

"  She  is  sensible  and  well-informed,  too,"  said  Hamilton, 
warmly. 

"  You  take  your  opinion  from  Hildegarde,  who  you  know 
has  no  medium.  Pray  don't  ask  her  what  she  thinks  of  me, 
that's  all.  See,  she  will  not  offer  us  any  cake  this  time,  be- 
cause we  took  no  notice  of  her  when  she  passed  before." 

"  I  did  not  see  her,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  I  believe  I  was  ad- 
miring the  ring  which  you  told  me  had  been  given  you  by 
one  of  the  Doctor's  patients." 

"  But  the  ring  was  still  on  my  finger,  and  perhaps  she 
thought " 

"What?"  asked  Hamilton,  laughing,  as  he  followed  Hil- 
degarde, and  obtained  the  piece  of  cake  which  he  re- 
quested. Madame  Lustig,  who  did  not  perceive  his  vicinity, 
observed  to  Dr.  Berger,  "  Your  wife  is  getting  on  at  a  great 
rate  with  that  young  Englishman  to-night." 

"  It's  a  way  she  has,"  he  replied,  shrugging  his  shoulders, 
11  opposition  only  makes  her  worse,  so  I  generally  pretend 
not  to  see  her.  At  all  events,  I  have  discovered  long  ago 
that  the  Englishman's  heart  and  thoughts  are  elsewhere, 
even  when  he  is  apparently  completely  engrossed  in  my 
Lina." 

Hamilton  looked  at  Hildegarde,  and  thought  he  perceived 
something  like  a  smile  playing  around  the  corners  of  her 
mouth  as  she  turned  away ;  he  walked  slowly  to  his  seat, 
and  began  to  eat  his  cake  with  an  earnestness  which  soon 
became  offensive  to  his  lively  neighbour. 

"I  suppose  she  forbade  you  talking  anymore  to  me?" 
she  observed,  after  some  time. 

':  Do  you  mean  Madame  Lustig?" 

"  Madame  Fiddlestick  ! — you  know  I  mean  Hildegarde." 

"  She  did  not  speak  to  me." 

11  Perhaps  a  look  was  sufficient?" 

"  She  did  not  look  at  me." 
"  But  you  looked  at  her?" 

"  Undoubtedly — I  like  looking  at  her — and  at  you,  too,  if 
you  have  no  objection." 

26 


302  THE  INITIALS. 

11 1  see  I  shall  be  obliged  to  complain  of  you  to  the  Doctor 
— and  I  tell  you  he  is  horribly  jealous  at  times  !" 

"  How  very  considerate  of  him  to  stand  with  his  back  to 
us  all  this  time."  said  Hamilton,  laughing ;  "  one  would  al- 
most think  he  did  it  on  purpose  !  But  see,  the  children  are 
coming  to  say  good-night,  and  the  Hoffmanns  seem  to  be 
going- " 

"  I  suppose  the  Doctor  will  insist  on  my  going,  too  !"  said 
Madame  Berger ;  "  he  has  no  sort  of  consideration  for  me, 
and  the  idea  will  never  enter  his  old  head,  that  I  should  like 
to  go  to  the  midnight  mass  with  you — all." 

The  Doctor  did  insist,  and  the  company  departed  together. 
Mr.  Rosenberg  at  once  declared  his  intention  to  go  to  bed  ; 
his  wife  said  she  would  doze  on  the  sofa  until  it  was  time  to 
go  to  church;  Major  Stultz  placed  himself,  as  usual,  beside 
Crescenz  and  her  work-basket,  and  began  a  whispered  con- 
versation, which,  however,  in  time  perceptibly  nagged,  for 
Crescenz's  fingers  moved  more  quickly  than  her  tongue — the 
monotony  of  his  own  voice  on  the  otherwise  unbroken  still- 
ness in  the  room  naturally  produced  drowsiness,  with  which 
the  Major  long  and  valiantly  combated — but  it  was  in  vain 
he  endeavoured  to  sit  bolt  upright  in  his  chair,  occasionally 
staring  wildly  around  him.  After  having  made  a  succession 
of  sleepy  obeisances,  of  such  profundity  that  Crescenz's  de- 
mure smile  almost  verged  into  laughter,  his  arms  sank  at 
length  heavily  on  his  outspread  legs,  his  head  sought  sup- 
port on  the  uncomfortable  low  back  of  his  chair,  his  jaw  fell, 
and  the  long-drawn  breathing  degenerated  into  snores  both 
loud  and  long. 

Such  influence  had  Hildegarde  acquired  over  Hamilton, 
that  the  fear  of  incurring  her  displeasure  prevented  him 
from  laughing  aloud,  or  at  first  even  looking  up ;  after  some 
time,  however,  pressing  his  lips  firmly  against  his  book,  his 
eyes  glanced  over  it  with  a  mixed  expression  of  mirth  and 
curiosity,  from  one  sister  to  the  other.  Crescenz  seemed 
embarrassed,  but  there  was  not  a  particle  of  either  dislike  or 
impatience  in  the  look  which  she  bestowed  on  the  sleeper. 
She  bent  towards  her  sister,  and  said  in  a  whisper,  "  If  I 
could  manage  to  put  a  sofa  cushion  on  the  back  of  the 
chair !" 

"  An  excellent  idea,"  said  Hildegarde,  taking  up  one,  and 
preparing  to  assist  her. 


THE  CHRISTMAS-TREE,  AND   MIDNIGHT  MASS.      303 

"  Give  me  the  cushion,  and  do  you  move  his  head,"  said 
Crescenz,  timidly. 

"  No,  dear,  that  is  your  office,"  replied  her  sister,  half 
laughing. 

"  But  if  he  should  wake,"  cried  Crescenz,  drawing 
back. 

"  He  will  scarcely  be  angry,"  said  Hildegarde,  approaching 
with  the  cushion. 

Crescenz  took  it  from  her,  and  began  to  insinuate  it  be- 
tween his  head  and  the  chair — her  movements  were  so  gen- 
tle that  she  succeeded  without  awakening  him — his  mouth 
closed  with  a  slight  jerk,  while  uttering  a  grunt  of  sleepy 
satisfaction,  as  his  chin  dropped  on  his  breast. 

Nothing  could  be  less  attractive  than  Major  Stultz's  face 
at  this  moment,  with  his  puffed-out  crimson  cheeks  and 
wrinkled  double  chin — but  Crescenz  saw  him  not ;  with  a 
good-humoured  smile  she  tried  to  arrange  still  better  the 
supporting  cushion,  and  then  stood  behind  him  with  all  the 
immovable  serenity  of  a  Caryatid.  Hildegarde  walked  to 
the  window,  and  holding  her  hands  at  each  side  of  her  tem- 
ples, endeavoured  to  look  out  into  the  darkness.  "  We  shall 
have  rain,  I  fear,"  she  observed  to  Hamilton,  who  had  fol- 
lowed her. 

He  opened  the  window — it  was  a  cold,  cheerless  night,  the 
nickering  lamps  throwing  unsteady  gleams  of  light  across 
the  street. 

"  The  weather  is  not  very  inviting,"  said  Hildegarde, 
drawing  back  into  the  warm  room  with  a  slight  shudder. 

Hamilton  leaned  out  for  some  time  in  silence,  and  then 
whispered — "Who  is  that?"  He  pointed  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street,  where  a  figure,  muffled  in  a  cloak,  had 
been  standing  opposite  the  house,  and  now  began  to  walk 
quickly  away.     "  Do  you  know  who  that  was?" 

"  I  think  it  was  Count  Zedwitz,"  answered  Hildegarde. 

"  You  knew  he  was  there  ?  You  came  to  the  window  to 
see  him  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Hildegarde,  quietly. 

"  Then  how  could  you  know  him  so  directly?" 

"  I  recognised  the  cloak  he  used  to  wear  at  Seon." 

"  Ah — yes — true — poor  fellow  !"  said  Hamilton. 

"  How  inclined  you  are  to  suspect  me !"  said  Hildegarde. 
reproachfully. 


304  THE  INITIALS. 

"  One  might  suspect,  without  blaming  you,  for  giving 
Zedwitz  a  gleam  of  hope  to  lighten  his  despair." 

"  I  should  blame  myself,  for  it  would  be  unpardonable 
coquetry  !" 

"  Coquetry  !  when  you  really  love  him  !" 

"  Love  him  !"  repeated  Hildegarde,  hastily — "  No — yes— 
that  is,  I  like  him — I  like  him  very  much." 

At  this  moment  the  church  bells  in  Munich  began  simul- 
taneously to  send  forth  loud  peals.  Madame  Rosenberg 
raised  herself  on  her  pillow,  and  exclaimed,  "  What  are  you 
about,  Hildegarde  ?  Shut  the  window,  and  don't  let  the 
cold  night  air  into  the  room." 

Hamilton  closed  the  window.  When  he  looked  round  he 
perceived  Major  Stultz  with  the  sofa-cushion  on  his  knees, 
offering  a  profusion  of  thanks  to  Crescenz,  who  stood  smiling 
beside  him. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  were  on  their  way  to  the  Frauen 
church.  It  was  crowded  to  excess,  and  brilliantly  lighted, 
chiefly  by  the  number  of  wax  tapers  which  had  been 
brought  with  the  prayerbooks,  and  now  burned  brightly  be- 
fore each  kneeling  or  sitting  figure. 

The  music  was  excellent :  and  as  Hamilton  soon  observed 
that  extraordinary  devotion  was  chiefly  practised  by  the 
female  part  of  the  congregation  who  occupied  the  pews,  and 
that  those  in  his  vicinity  who  stood  in  the  aisle  amused 
themselves  by  looking  around  them  in  all  directions,  he  by 
degrees  followed  their  example,  and  his  tall  figure  enabling 
him  to  overlook  the  sea  of  heads  about  him,  he  gratified  his 
curiosity  to  the  fullest  extent.  He  observed  that  Crescenz's 
eyes  stole  not  unfrequently  over  her  prayerbook  to  bestow  a 
furtive  glance  on  him  or  on  Major  Stultz  who  stood  near 
her,  but  Hildegarde  was  immovable — her  profound  devotion 
surprised  him.  She  spoke  so  much  less  of  religion  than  her 
sister,  that  he  had  come  to  the  erroneous  conclusion  that  she 
was  less  religious.  The  burning  taper  threw  a  strong  light 
on  her  bent  head  and  clasped  hands ;  and  as  he  suddenly 
recollected  some  remark  of  Zedwitz's  about  the  Madonna- 
like expression  of  her  regular  features,  he  unconsciously 
turned  to  seek  his  friend,  to  ask  him  when  and  where  he 
had  so  spoken.  His  astonishment  was  lost  in  emotion  on 
perceiving  that  Zedwitz  was  actually  not  far  distant  from 
him,  his  whole  appearance  wild  and  disordered,  his  haggard 


the  Christmas-tree,  and  midnight  mass.    305 

eyes  fixed  on  Hildegarde's  motionless  figure.  The  service 
ended,  she  closed  her  book,  and  rose  calmly,  while  Madame 
Rosenberg  extinguished  the  three  tapers  and  deposited  them 
in  her  reticule.  As  the  lights  one  after  another  disappeared, 
there  was  a  universal  move  towards  the  nearest  doors. 
Hamilton  was  about  to  follow  the  Rosenbergs  when  he  felt 
himself  drawn  in  a  contrary  direction  by  a  powerful  arm, 
and  Zedwitz  whispered,  "  One  word  before  you  go  home ;" 
and  they  were  soon  brought  outside  the  church  with  the 
crowd.  It  was  raining  torrents ;  and  several  persons  at- 
tempted to  return  again  into  the  aisle,  while  they  despatched 
messengers  or  servants  for  umbrellas.  The  carriages  rolled 
rapidly  away  in  all  directions,  and  Hamilton  in  a  few  min- 
utes was  walking  with  his  friend  under  the  leafless  trees  in 
the  promenade  platz. 

"  I  am  ill,"  said  Zedwitz,  "  really  ill — this  sort  of  life  is 
not  to  be  endured — I  shall  get  a  fever,  or  go  mad,  if  I  re- 
main here." 

"  You  do  look  ill,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and  change  of  air 
and  scene  might  be  of  use  to  you — but  is  it  advisable  to 
remain  out  in  this  rain  if  you  are  feverish  ?" 

"  Certainly  not  advisable — but  I  cannot  set  out  on  my 
travels  without  taking  leave  of  you." 

"  Travels  !  where  do  you  mean  to  go  ?" 

"To  Paris— or  Rome — or  Athens — or  Jerusalem." 

"  Will  your  father  consent  ?" 

"  I  think  so.  To-morrow  I  intend  to  go  to  Lengheim  and 
commence  negotiations — I  have  determined  on  quitting  the 
army  at  all  events  ;  for  I  have  no  fancy  for  country  quarters, 
and  as  to  remaining  in  Munich,  the  thing  is  impossible. 
What  are  all  my  resolutions  when  I  see  her  ?  and  see  her  I 
do — continually — although  unseen  by  her,  or  any  of  her 
family." 

"  You  were  in  the  street  this  evening,  I  know.  She 
recognised  your  cloak  immediately." 

"  My  cloak,  ah  !  very  true — I  must  have  another — adieu, 
Hamilton,  I  will  not  detain  you  longer  in  the  rain — we  shall 
scarcely  meet  again  before  I  leave " 

"  Write  to  me  then,"  said  Hamilton.  "  I  should  like  to 
know  where  you  are  to  be  found.  Perhaps  I  may  join  you 
in  the  spring." 

"You  shall  hear  from  me,"  cried  Zedwitz,  seizing  his 
u  26* 


306  THE  INITIALS. 

hand  and  holding  it  firmly.  "  One  word  more — promise  me 
to  act  honourably  by  Hildegarde,  and  not  to  take  advantage 
of  her  isolated  situation  when  her  sister  has  left  the  house." 

"  I  have  never  thought  of  acting  otherwise,"  replied 
Hamilton,  calmly. 

"  I  suppose  I  must  be  satisfied  with  this  answer,"  said 
Zedwitz,  wringing  his  friend's  hand  as  he  hurried  away. 

It  was  too  late  to  overtake  the  Rosenbergs,  nevertheless 
Hamilton  walked  quickly  home.  He  was  surprised  to  find 
the  house-door  open,  the  staircase  perfectly  dark,  and  several 
persons  speaking  at  different  distances  upon  it.  On  the 
third  story  Walburg,  who  was  endeavouring  to  open  the 
door  of  the  Rosenbergs'  apartment,  was  loudly  assuring  her 
mistress  that  when  she  left  the  house  with  the  umbrellas  the 
lamp  had  been  burning — she  had  trimmed  it  on  her  way 
downstairs.  Major  Stultz  and  Crescenz  were  not  far  dis- 
tant, for  they  occasionally  laughed,  and  joined  in  the  con- 
versation. Hamilton  began  to  grope  his  way  along  the  pas- 
sage ;  as  he  gained  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  Hildegarde,  who 
had  probably  only  reached  the  first  landing-place,  exclaimed  : 
"  Is  that  you,  Mr.  Hamilton  ?  You  had  better  wait  until 
we  have  a  light." 

Before  he  had  time  to  speak,  a  voice  quite  close  to  her 
answered  for  him. 

"  You  have  startled  me,"  cried  Hildegarde,  "  I  thought 
you  were  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs." 

Not  a  little  surprised  to  find  himself  in  the  presence  of  a 
second  self,  he  stood  still  to  hear  what  would  follow. 

"  How  did  you  happen  to  be  separated  from  us  ?"  asked 
Hildegarde. 

"  Met  some  friends  at  the  church  door,  and  stopped  to 
speak  to  them,"  replied  the  voice  in  French. 

"  You  must  be  completely  wet  I" 

"  Not  at  all." 

Hildegarde  laughed. 

"  You  do  not  believe  me  !  Feel  my  arm — not  even 
damp  !" 

A  pause  ensued — perhaps  the  arm  was  felt — the  midnight 
representative  lowered  his  voice  and  spoke  eagerly.  Hamil- 
ton advanced  a  few  steps  and  heard  the  concluding  words — 
"  Surely,  surely,  if  you  consider  me  a  friend,  you  will  let  me 
know  the  true  state  of  the  case.     Is  it  friendship  for  Mad- 


THE  CHRISTMAS-TREE,  AND  MIDNIGHT  MASS.      307 

emoiselle  de  Hoffmann  that  makes  you  of  late  avoid  your 
cousin  with,  I  may  say,  such  exaggerated  care?" 

"  Exaggerated  care !"  repeated  Hildegarde,  with  evident 
surprise. 

"  Well,  well — never  mind  that — we  have  no  time  to  weigh 
words  just  now ;  but,  tell  me  quickly,  was  it  to  please  your 
father — or  in  anger — or  indifference — that  you  refused  Zed- 
witz  ?" 

"  Have  you  any  right  to  question  me  in  this  imperious 
manner?"  cried  Hildegarde,  moving  quickly  on. 

"  No,"  replied  the  stranger,  striding  after  her.  "  No  ;  and 
it  is  a  great  relief  to  my  mind  to  find  that  I  have  not.  I 
was  beginning  to  fear  you  had  a — misunderstood  me — would 
think  perhaps  I  had  trifled  with  your  feelings :  in  short,  I 
thought  you  were  unkind  to  your  cousin  and  had  refused 
Zedwitz  from  having  formed  expectations  which  can  never 
be  realised.  Painful  as  it  is  to  me  to  say  so,  I  must  never- 
theless tell  you  that  nothing  was  further  from  my  thoughts 
than " 

"  Villain  !"  cried  Hamilton,  springing  forward.  "  How 
dare  you  take  advantage  of  the  darkness  to  traduce  me  in 
this  manner  !     Who  are  you  ?" 

A  violent  and  silent  struggle  ensued,  but  the  darkness  was 
so  complete  that  the  stranger  contrived  to  free  himself  from 
Hamilton's  grasp,  bounded  down  the  stairs,  and  closed  the 
hall-door  with  such  violence  that  the  whole  house  shook. 
Hamilton  would  have  followed,  but  Hildegarde's  hand 
grasped  his  arm,  and  she  entreated  him,  almost  breathlessly, 
to  remain  quiet.  "  Do  not  go  after  him  ;  it  will  serve  no 
purpose  whatever.  I  ought  to  have  known,"  she  added, 
walking  up  the  now  lighted  staircase,  "  I  ought  to  have  felt 
at  once  that  it  was  not  you  !" 

"  It  would  have  shown  extraordinary  discernment  on  your 
part,"  said  Hamilton,  "  for  not  only  did  he  whisper,  and 
choose  a  foreign  language  which  he  probably  knows  we  often 
use,  and  in  which  you  could  not  easily  detect  the  difference 
of  expression — but  he  also  asked  the  very  questions  which  I 
should  have  asked  long  ago,  had  I  dared !" 

Hildegarde  hurried  forward,  while  Madame  Rosenberg 
called  from  the  top  of  the  stairs :  "  You  were  determined  to 
let  us  know  that  you  had  shut  the  house-door  after  you, 
Mr.  Hamilton,  but  I  was  glad  to  hear  that  you  were  at 


308  THE  INITIALS. 

home,  for  it  is  raining  torrents,  and,  as  you  have  neither 
cloak  nor  umbrella,  you  must  be  wet  to  the  skin.'1 

"  I  believe  I  am  rather  wet,"  said  Hamilton,  composedly 
allowing  himself  to  be  felt  by  his  attentive  hostess. 

"  Take  off  these  clothes  directly,  or  you  will  get  one  of 
your  English  colds." 

"  A  cold  never  lasts  more  than  a  day  or  two  here  ;  I  am  no 
longer  afraid,"  said  Hamilton,  following  her  into  the  draw- 
ing-room in  the  hope  of  speaking  a  few  words  more  with 
Hildegarde;  but  Madame  Rosenberg  insisted  on  his  going  to 
bed,  and  as  a  bribe,  promised  herself  to  bring  him  a  piece  of 
cake  and  a  glass  of  wine. 

The  whole  family  were  in  the  deepest  sleep,  and  not  a 
sound  was  heard  in  the  house,  when  suddenly,  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  Rosenberg  bell  was  rung  loud  and 
violently.  A  great  commotion  ensued,  and  the  cook  having 
been  sent  downstairs  to  open  the  house- door,  returned  in  a 
minute  or  two,  preceded  by  Count  Zedwitz's  servant,  who, 
running  towards  Hamilton's  room,  seemed  only  able  to  pro- 
nounce the  word  cholera. 

"  Who  is  that  ?"  cried  Madame  Eosenberg,  drawing  a  little 
black  shawl  tightly  over  her  shoulders,  and  following  him 
with  hasty  steps.     "  What  does  the  man  mean  ?" 

She  found  him  standing  in  Hamilton's  room,  explaining 
that  his  master  had  returned  home  ill  about  one  o'clock  ; 
that  he  had  gradually  become  worse,  and  had  now  the 
cholera  ;  he  had  refused  to  send  for  Mr.  Hamilton,  but  the 
doctor  had  said  some  one  ought  to  be  with  him,  who  could 
write  to  Edelhof  directly. 

"  I  must  say  I  think  it  very  unnecessary  that  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton should  be  exposed  to  any  danger  of  the  kind,"  inter- 
posed Madame  Rosenberg.  "  I  dare  say  Count  Zedwitz  has 
other  friends  or  relatives  to  whom  he  can  apply." 

The  man  said  he  had  not  been  long  with  Count  Zed- 
witz— he  had  seen  him  more  with  Mr.  Hamilton  than  any- 
one else — and  then  he  looked  inquiringly  towards  Ham- 
ilton, who,  having  sprung  out  of  bed  the  moment  the  bell 
rang,  had  finished  his  hasty  toilet  undisturbed  by  the 
presence  of  Madame  Rosenberg.  His  answer  was  throw- 
ing his  cloak  over  his  shoulders,  and  advancing  towards  the 
door. 

"  Surely  you  will  not  run  the  danger  of  getting  the  cholera, 


THE   CHRISTMAS-TREE,  AND  MIDNIGHT  MASS.      309 

for  a  mere  acquaintance  of  yesterday,"  she  cried,  anxiously 
placing  herself  before  him. 

"  The  danger  is  by  no  means  so  great  as  you  suppose," 
said  Hamilton.     "  I  doubt  the  cholera  being  contagious." 

•;  But  I  don't  in  the  least  doubt  it,"  cried  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, "  and  I  feel  quite  sure  you  will  bring  it  into  our  house. 
Have  some  consideration  for  us,  if  you  have  none  for  your- 
self!" 

"  The  best  plan  will  be  not  to  return  for  a  week  or  so," 
said  Hamilton.  "  In  fact,  not  until  you  let  me  know  that 
you  no  longer  fear  infection.  Hans  must  bring  me  whatever 
I  require,  as  soon  as  it  is  daylight." 

"  But  he  must  not  go  backwards  and  forwards,"  began 
Madame  Rosenberg. 

"  Oh,  mamma  !"  exclaimed  Hildegarde,  who  was  standing 
in  the  passage;  "  will  you  not  speak  to  papa  about  it?  I 
am  sure " 

"  Go  to  your  bed,"  cried  her  mother,  interrupting  her 
testily,  "  and  don't  stand  shivering  there  until  you  get  the 
cholera,  too  ;  go  to  your  bed.  I  assure  you,"  she  said,  turn- 
ing apologetically  to  Hamilton,  "  I  assure  you  I  don't  mean 
to  be  unkind,  but  I  have  a  family,  and  it  would  be  awful 
were  the  cholera  to  come  among  us.  Suppose  I  were  to  lose 
Franz,  or  one  of  my  boys,  or  even  Hildegarde " 

"  Do  not  speak  of  anything  so  dreadful,"  cried  Hamilton, 
instantly  seizing  the  last  idea.  "  Nothing  will  induce  me  to 
return  until  even  the  shadow  of  danger  has  past." 

"  And  you  do  not  think  me  ill-natured?" 

"  Not  in  the  least !" 

Hildegarde  was  at  the  door  of  her  room  as  he  was  about 
to  pass — he  stopped  to  take  leave. 

"  Use  whatever  precaution  you  can  against  infection,"  she 
said,  warmly  returning  the  pressure  of  his  hand,  "  and,"  she 
added,  hurriedly,  "  and  don't  be  angry  when  I  send  you  the 
watch  you  gave  me  last  night.  Papa  agrees  with  me  in 
thinking  such  a  present  too  valuable  to  be  accepted  from  a 
—  an  acquaintance.  Don't  forget  to  let  me  know  as  often  as 
you  can  by  old  Hans,  how  Count  Zedwitz  is !" 

Hamilton  dropped  her  hand  with  an  impatient  jerk,  and 
hurried  from  the  house,  without  speaking  another  word. 


310  THE  INITIALS. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE    GARRET. 

"  Stop,  stop,  if  you  please,"  cried  Zedwitz's  servant  to 
Hamilton,  who  was  beginning  to  run  down  the  street,  "  Count 
Max  is  not  in  his  own  house — he  is  here  just  opposite — at 
the  brazier's." 

;'  At  the  brazier's  !"  exclaimed  Hamilton,  "  what  induced 
him  to  go  there?" 

"  Don't  know,  sir,"  replied  the  man,  "  he  has  been  lodging 
there  the  last  week  or  two." 

"  Lodging  there  ?"  repeated  Hamilton,  as  he  crossed  the 
street,  "  that  is  an  odd  idea." 

The  man  opened  the  house- door  with  a  latch-key,  took  up 
a  candle  which  was  burning  on  the  staircase,  and  walked  up 
to  the  very  top  of  the  house.  They  passed  through  two  or 
three  empty  garrets  before  they  reached  the  one  which  Zed- 
witz  had  chosen  for  his  sleeping  apartment.  The  furniture 
contrasted  strangely  with  the  whitewashed  walls,  sloping 
ceilings,  and  windows  protruding  from  the  roof.  A  hand- 
some bedstead,  wardrobe,  sofa,  several  large  arm-chairs,  and 
tables  covered  with  writing  and  drawing  materials,  found 
with  difficulty,  place  in  the  ill-shaped  room.  A  stranger  was 
sitting  by  the  bed  ;  he  rose  as  Hamilton  approached. 

"  So  they  have  brought  you  here,  after  all,"  said  Zedwitz  ; 
"  I  hope  at  least  that  you  have  been  told  the  true  state  of  the 
case — that  you  know  that  I  have  the  worst  description  of 
cholera  ?" 

"  You  know  I  do  not  consider  it  infectious,"  replied  Hamil- 
ton, "  and  if  I  can  be  of  any  use,  I  am  prepared  to  remain 
with  you." 

Zedwitz  pressed  his  friend's  hand. 

"  If  I  am  not  better  in  a  few  hours,"  he  said  slowly,  "  that 
is,  when  there  is  no  hope  of  my  recovery,  you  may  write  to 
Edelhof — I  do  not  wish  to  see  any  of  my  family — not  even 
Agnes — coming  from  the  country,  they  would  be  too  liable 
to  infection." 


THE  GARRET.  311 

"  But,"  said  Hamilton, "  I  do  not  see  Doctor  Berger — why 
have  you  not  sent  for  him  ?" 

11  Because  I  am  here,  and  not  in  my  own  house,  and  he 
tells  everything  to  his  chattering  wife,  who  relates,  with 
interest,  all  she  hears  to  whoever  will  listen  to  her." 

"  But  why  are  you  here  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

A  violent  spasm  put  an  end  to  the  conversation,  nor  was  it 
possible  to  renew  it.  Zedwitz  hourly  became  worse,  Ham- 
ilton proportionably  anxious.  At  length  he  sent  not  only  for 
Doctor  Berger,  but  also  for  his  friend  Biedermann,  and  when 
they  had  declared  Zedwitz's  case  almost  hopeless,  he  wrote 
as  he  had  been  desired  to  Edelhof,  and  employed  his  servant 
Hans  as  courier. 

Late  in  the  evening  Zedwitz  lay  motionless  from  exhaus- 
tion. Biedermann  had  more  than  once  held  a  feather  under 
his  nostrils  to  ascertain  if  he  still  breathed.  Hamilton  rose 
slowly  from  his  station  by  the  bed,  and  walked  cautiously  to 
one  of  the  small  windows.  On  reaching  it,  he  stumbled  over 
a  large  telescope  which  was  pointed  against  a  round  hole, 
evidently  cut  in  the  curtain — he  was  about  to  remove  the  tele- 
scope to  avoid  a  recurrence  of  the  noise  which  he  had  just 
made,  but,  on  second  thoughts,  he  seated  himself  on  a  chair 
conveniently  placed  beside  it,  and  applied  his  eye  to  the  glass. 

In  a  moment,  he  was  in  Madame  Rosenberg's  drawing- 
room  ;  the  muslin  curtains  were  not  closed,  and  he  saw  the 
preparations  for  the  rubber  of  whist — the  candles  and  count- 
ers arranged,  the  entrance  of  the  Hoffmanns,  accompanied 
as  usual  by  Raimund.  The  latter  soon  seated  himself  at  the 
piano-forte,  and  from  the  different  movements  of  his  person 
and  hands,  Hamilton  tried  to  imagine  the  music  to  which  the 
others  (not  the  card-players)  listened  apparently  with  the 
most  profound  attention.  He  had  heard  so  much  from 
Hildegarde  of  her  cousin's  extraordinary  talent  for  music, 
that  he  expected  to  see  her  immediately  move  towards  him. 
Great  was,  therefore,  his  surprise,  when  she  walked  to  the 
window  most  distant  from  him,  and  drawing  still  further 
aside  the  small  transparent  curtains,  turned  her  face  up- 
wards exactly  in  the  direction  of  the  window  from  which  he 
was  looking  out.  He  could  not  any  longer  see  her  features, 
but  he  imagined  her  looking  at  him,  and  he  involuntarily 
pushed  back  his  chair.  Did  she  know  where  he  was  ?  Or 
had  she  already  known  that  Zedwitz  was  in  her  neighbour- 


312  THE  INITIALS. 

hood  ?  He  tried  to  remember  if  she  had  been  in  the  habit 
of  going  to  the  window — he  believed  not — but  he  recollected 
her  immediate  recognition  of  Zedwitz  in  the  street  the  even- 
ing before.  The  scene  on  the  stairs  recurred  to  his  memory 
with  extraordinary  exactness,  and  a  sudden  suspicion,  like  a 
flash  of  lightning,  made  him  see  Zedwitz  as  his  midnight 
traducer.  He  strode  towards  him,  but  the  angry  question 
died  on  his  lips,  when  he  beheld  the  livid  features  convulsed 
with  pain.  Zedwitz  was  not  only  perfectly  conscious  of  his 
dangerous  state,  but  everything  passing  around  him ;  he 
glanced  towards  the  window,  and  asked  in  a  low  hoarse 
voice,  "  Have  you  seen  her  ?" 

"  Yes,  she  is  looking  at  the  windows  of  this  room." 

A  long  silence  ensued,  and  then  Hamilton  was  called  out 
of  the  room  to  speak  to  old  Hans,  who  had  been  sent  by 
Hildegarde  to  make  inquiries  about  Zedwitz. 

"  How  does  Mademoiselle  Hildegarde  know  that  we  are 
here  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  She  inquired  of  my  son  this  morning  when  he  was 
packing  your  clothes.  She  hopes  that  you  will  take  care  of 
yourself,  and  says  you  must  be  sure  to  smell  this  little  silk 
thing,  as  it  will  save  you  from  infection." 

Hamilton  smiled  as  he  received  from  the  old  man  a  sachet 
containing  camphor. 

'•  Perhaps  you  will  give  me  a  line  for  mademoiselle ;  she 
is  very  uneasy." 

Hamilton  wrote  a  few  lines  with  his  pencil. 

"She  said,"  remarked  old  Hans,  "you  must  hang  it  on 
your  neck,  and  that  she  would  pray  for  the  wearer  every 
morning  in  the  Frauen  church." 

"  Did  she  say  that?"  cried  Hamilton,  hastily.  "  At  what 
hour  will  she  be  there?" 

"  Between  six  and  seven  o'clock,  I  should  think,"  answered 
the  man,  with  a  look  of  intelligence  by  no  means  agreeable 
to  Hamilton. 

"  You  need  not  say  that  I  asked  you  this  question,  Hans  ; 
it  might  prevent  her  from  going  to  church,  you  know." 

"  If  you  please,  I  can  say  you  don't  think  of  going  to  the 
Frauen  church  to-morrow  morning." 

"  Say  nothing  at  all,  excepting  that  I  am  obliged  to  her 
and  shall  wear  the  amulet,"  replied  Hamilton,  abruptly 
turning  away. 


THE  GARRET.  313 

The  Countess  Zedwitz,  her  daughter,  and  son-in-law, 
arrived  before  daybreak  the  next  morning.  They  were  at 
first  so  agitated  that  they  could  not  speak  a  word  ;  Zedwitz, 
on  the  contrary,  was  perfectly  calm.  "  I  expected  you, 
mother,"  he  said,  kissing  her  hand ;  "  I  knew  you  would 
come  to  me,  but  I  wish  that  dear  Agnes  and  Lengheim  had 
remained  at  home.  You  must  send  them  back  in  the  course 
of  the  day." 

The  Countess  spoke  long  and  earnestly  with  Doctor 
Berger,  and  then  returned  to  her  son's  bedside.  She  told 
him  that  his  father  continued  ill  and  confined  to  his  room ; 
that  he  wished  to  see  him  again ;  was  ready  to  forget  all 
cause  of  difference  between  them,  and  she  hoped,  as  soon  as 
he  could  be  removed,  he  would  return  with  her  to  Edelhof. 

Zedwitz  was  too  weak  to  discuss  his  plans  for  the  future, 
although  immediately  after  the  arrival  of  his  relations  he  had 
had  a  change  for  the  better.  At  five  o'clock  Doctor  Berger 
gave  hopes  of  his  recovery,  and  an  hour  afterwards  Hamilton 
was  on  his  way  to  the  Frauen  church. 

The  rain  had  turned  to  sleet,  and  the  sleet  to  snow  since 
he  had  last  been  out.  Large  flakes  now  fell  noiselessly 
around  him  ;  he  saw  them  not — Hildegarde  alone,  and  alter- 
nate hopes  and  fears  that  he  should  not,  and  hopes  that  he 
should,  see  her,  occupied  his  thoughts. 

There  were  not  many  people  assembled,  but  the  church  is 
large,  the  altars  numerous,  and  it  was  some  time  before  he 
discovered  the  kneeling  figure  of  her  he  sought. 

Walburg,  with  her  shining  braided  hair,  silver  head-dress, 
and  large  market-basket  on  her  arm,  was  standing  in  the 
aisle ;  her  prayers  seemed  ended,  for  she  gazed  cheerfully 
around  her,  and  even  nodded  occasionally  to  her  basketed 
acquaintances  as  they  passed.  She  immediately  recognised 
Hamilton,  and  stooped  down  to  whisper  to  Hildegarde,  who 
instantly  rose,  and  Hamilton  saw  her  face  suffused  with 
blushes  as  she  walked  towards  him.  They  left  the  church 
together,  and  Hildegarde's  first  words  were,  "  How  pale  and 
tired  you  look ;  I  hope  you  are  not  ill." 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  said  Hamilton  ;  and  it  did  not  escape 
his  observation  that  her  principal  anxiety  seemed  about 
himself.  "  You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  Zedwitz  is  better 
at  last ;  we  had  no  hopes  of  his  recovery  until  about  an  hour 
ago." 

o  27 


314  THE  INITIALS. 

"  So  I  have  already  heard  from  Mr.  Biedermann,  who  was 
so  kind  as  to  call  just  before  I  left  home." 

"  Ah,  you  have  seen  Biedermann  ?" 

"  Yes,"  and  then  she  added  after  a  pause,  "  now  that 
Count  Zedwitz's  family  have  arrived,  you  ought  to  think  of 
yourself,  for  even  if  you  do  not  fear  infection,  you  must 
remember  that  unusual  fatigue  is  dangerous  at  present.  You 
have  been  two  nights  without  rest — you  who  require  so  much 
more  sleep  than  anyone  else,  as  I  heard  you  tell  mamma 
more  than  once." 

"  That  was  only  an  excuse  for  my  unpardonable  laziness," 
replied  Hamilton,  smiling ;  "  I  intend  to  go  to  Havard's  to 
dress  and  breakfast  before  I  return  to  Zedwitz.  Have  you 
any  message  for  him.     I  shall  deliver  it  faithfully." 

"  None,  excepting  my  good  wishes,"  said  Hildegarde, 
turning  away.  "  Walburg,  you  may  now  go  to  the  grocer's 
— I  can  walk  home  alone.     Good-morning,  Mr.  Hamilton." 

Hamilton  bowed  gravely,  waited  with  due  propriety  until 
Walburg  was  quite  out  of  sight,  and  then  ran  after  Hilde- 
garde, and  endeavoured,  while  still  panting  for  breath,  to 
thank  her  for  the  amulet,  and  her  kind  anxiety  on  his  account. 

"  My  father  more  than  shares  my  anxiety  about  you,"  she 
said,  calmly ;  "  he  was  greatly  distressed  at  hearing  that 
mamma  had  in  a  manner  banished  you  from  our  house. 
Should  you  get  the  cholera  now,  and  not  be  properly  taken 
care  of,  how  could  we  write  to  your  family  ?  What  could  we 
say  to  them  ?" 

"  You  mean  in  case  of  my  death  ?  By-the-by,  I  never 
thought  of  that.  Do  not  walk  so  fast — I  want  to  speak  to 
you,  and  I  know  you  must  dismiss  me  at  the  next  turn. 
Should  I  die  of  cholera " 

"  It  is  time  enough  to  talk  of  death  when  you  are  ill," 
said  Hildegarde,  hastily. 

"  No,  it  will  be  too  late  then.  Twenty-four  hours  are 
more  than  enough  to  finish  a  man's  life  now.  Will  you  un- 
dertake to  write  to  my  sister  and  arrange  my  effects  ?" 

"  Are  you  joking  ?" 

"  Not  in  the  least.  You  will  find  in  a  rosewood  case  a 
number  of  papers — a  journal  in  fact.  These  papers  must 
be  carefully  sealed  and  addressed  to  my  sister.  There  is 
also  a  miniature " 

"  I  know,"  said  Hildegarde. 


THE  Q ARRET.  315 

"  How  do  you  know,"  cried  Hamilton,  stooping  forward 
to  catch  a  glimpse  of  her  features,  "  how  do  you  know  any- 
thing about  that  ?" 

"  Lina  Berger  examined  your  dressing-case  one  evening 
when  she  was  in  your  room.  Crescenz  was  present,  and 
naturally  told  me  of  the  miniature — I  often  reminded  her 
of  it." 

"  Indeed  !     And  for  what  purpose  ?" 

"  To  prevent  her  forgetting  that  you  had  not  even  a  heart 
to  bestow  on  her." 

"  You  are  right.  But  to  return  to  the  miniature  ;  the  origi- 
nal possesses,  indeed,  a  large  portion  of  my  affection " 

Hamilton  stopped  ;  he  had  nattered  himself  that  his  compan- 
ion would,  in  some  way,  betray  feelings  either  of  jealousy 
or  curiosity,  but  she  walked  on  steadily  without  looking 
at  him ;  and  when  he  paused,  she  observed,  "  You  must 
make  haste  ;  we  are  just  at  the  corner  ;  you  need  not  tell  me 
about  the  original,  but  say  what  you  wish  me  to  do  with  the 
picture." 

"  Should  we  never  meet  again,  unfeeling  girl,"  said  Ham- 
ilton, half  laughing,  "  you  must  send  the  picture  to  my 
father,  for  it  is  my  sister  Helen's  portrait." 

As  he  spoke,  they  had  reached  the  place  where  he  knew 
he  must  leave  her;  she  stopped,  and  said  quickly,  "Mr. 
Hamilton,  I  have  in  this  instance  done  you  great  injustice ; 
I  thought  your  heart  was  bestowed  on  the  original  of  the 
miniature.  Without  this  explanation  I  should  certainly 
have  regarded  your  conduct  towards  us  as  unpardonably — 
heartless !" 

"  Not  quite,"  said  Hamilton,  lightly ;  "  I  really  had  a 
heart  at  my  disposal  some  time  ago ;  younger  sons  are  al- 
lowed to  have  hearts  in  England,  and  to  give  them  away  as 
they  please ;  few  people  here  think  it  worth  while  to  accept 
so  worthless  a  thing  as  a  heart  alone.  In  Germany,  the 
same  rational  idea  seems  to  prevail " 

"  Not  so,"  cried  Hildegarde,  warmly  ;  "  a  heart  is  always 
of  value — must  be  of  value  to  every  one,  especially  to  every 
woman." 

"  You  are  making  a  collection  of  such  valuables,  I  think," 
said  Hamilton.  "  Your  cousin's  has  been  forced  upon  you  ; 
Zedwitz's,  to  say  the  least,  you  tacitly  accepted ;  what  you 
intend  to  do  with  mine " 


31G  THE  INITIALS. 

"  I  must  go  home  now,"  said  Hildegarde,  glancing  uneasily 
down  the  street ;  "  it  may  be  remarked  if  I  stand  here  so 
long  with  you " 

"  Do  not  be  alarmed,"  said  Hamilton,  smiling ;  "  I  have 
no  intention  of  ever  again  favouring  you  with  avowals  of 
affection  as  absurd  as  useless.  You  are  quite  right  not  to 
listen  to  me,  but  you  must  have  the  kindness  not  to  listen  to 
my  midnight  representatives  either.  Such  men  must  not 
speak  for  me." 

"  Do  not  think  about  that  any  more,"  said  Hildegarde ; 
"  I  dislike  the  recollection  of  my  stupidity." 

"  If  I  only  knew  who  it  was,"  said  Hamilton,  contracting 
his  brows. 

"  You  possibly  suspect  Oscar,  but  when  I  referred  to  the 
subject  yesterday  evening,  he  did  not  in  the  least  understand 
what  I  meant,  and  afterwards  denied  having  seen  me  from 
the  time  I  had  received  my  Christmas  presents." 

"  So,  then,  it  was  Zedwitz,"  said  Hamilton,  musingly.  "  I 
am  sorry  for  it ;  our  friendship  is  at  an  end." 

"  Oh,  no,"  cried  Hildegarde ;  "  perhaps  it  was  not  Count 
Zedwitz  ;  it  is  not  like  him  to  act  so  ;  besides,  he  never 
speaks  French  with  me,  and — and  his  manners  are  always  so 
respectful.  Oh,  no,  I  do  not  think — I  am  quite  sure  it  could 
not  have  been  Count  Zedwitz." 

"  How  can  you,  who  are  always  so  rational  and  candid, 
talk  so  ?  You  know  it  must  have  been  one  or  the  other ; 
no  one  else  could  have  any  motive  for  asking  those  ques  - 
tions;  I  only  wish " 

"  And  I  wish,"  said  Hildegarde,  interrupting  him,  ':  I  wish 
you  would  not  either  think  or  speak  again  about  this  disa- 
greeable affair.  Oscar  has  denied  knowing  anything  about 
it ;  therefore  you  have  no  pretence  to  seek  a  quarrel  with 
him.  You  have  scarcely  a  right  on  suspicion  to  withdraw 
your  friendship  from  Count  Zedwitz." 

"  On  suspicion  !  No  ;  but  I  shall  certainly  ask  him  if  he 
was  on  the  stairs  of  your  house  on  Christmas  Eve." 

"  He  will  say  that  he  was  not." 

"  If  he  do,  I  shall  believe  him." 

"  And  I  also,"  said  Hildegarde,  moving  onwards. 

"  You  think  highly  of  Zedwitz?" 

"  Most  highly.     I  have  already  told  you  so." 

"  And  of  your  cousin  ?" 


THE  GARRET.  317 

Hildegarde  was  silent. 

"  And  yet  you  continue  intimate  with  him,  and  tolerate 
his  rhapsodies !" 

"  He  is  my  cousin — he  loves  me — and — if  you  must  know 
all,  I  fear  him  now  !" 

"  You  !  you  fear  him  ?" 

"  Yes ;  I  fear  his  love  and  his  jealousy — his  frightful 
bursts  of  passion— his  horrible  threats.  But,  look,  there  is 
Walburg  just  now  coming  home ;  I  must  enter  the  house 
before  her.     Adieu." 

The  Zedwitzes  were  profuse  in  their  thanks  to  Hamilton, 
and  used  all  their  eloquence  to  induce  him  to  return  with 
them  to  Edelhof ;  no  argument,  however,  could  prevail  on 
him  to  quit  Munich.  Before  Zedwitz  left,  he  gave  Hamilton 
the  assurance  that  he  had  not  been  in  the  Bosenbergs'  house 
on  Christmas  Eve.  "  If  you  require  proof,"  he  added,  "  I 
can  give  it.  You  may  remember  I  told  you  that  I  felt  very 
ill.  Could  a  man  in  the  state  I  was  then  in  think  of  such 
mummeries  ?  besides,  when  we  parted,  I  went  home,  that  is, 

to  our  house  in Street,  changed  my  clothes,  which  were 

wet,  and  drank  some  wine.     You  can  inquire  of   our  old 
housekeeper." 

"  It  is  quite  unnecessary,"  said  Hamilton.  "  I  should 
rather  apologize  for  having  thought  you  capable  of  such 
conduct,  even  in  joke.  Hildegarde  did  not  for  a  moment 
suspect  you,  although  she  had  heard  her  cousin's  denial." 

"  Excellent  girl ! — she  did  me  but  justice.  Much  as  I 
should  like  to  know  her  feelings  towards  me,  I  never,  even 
if  I  had  an  opportunity,  would  resort  to  such  means  of  ob- 
taining information." 

"  And  what  do  you  think  of  this  denial  of  Baimund's?" 
asked  Hamilton. 

The  carriage  rolled  to  the  door.  Hamilton  assisted  his 
friend  down  the  narrow  staircase.  "  What  do  you  mean  to 
do  with  yourself  until  you  are  allowed  to  return  to  the 
Bosenbergs?"  asked  the  latter  as  he  pressed  heavily  on  his 
arm. 

"  I  shall  buy  another  horse  and  a  sledge.  If  the  snow 
last,  I  rather  expect  some  amusement." 

Arrived  in  the  street,  Zedwitz  was  obliged  to  lean  ex- 
hausted against  the  house.  He  was  with  great  difficulty 
lifted  into  the  carriage,  and  as  he  sank  back  into  the  corner, 

27* 


318  THE  INITIALS. 

his  languid  eyes  turned  slowly  to  the  windows  of  the  oppo- 
site house.  Crescenz  and  her  brothers  were  looking  out. 
Hildegarde  was  not  visible  ;  he  slightly  touched  his  cap  and 
turned  away.  His  mother  and  sister  were  making  a  final 
effort  to  induce  Hamilton  to  remove  to  Edelhof  or  Leng- 
heim.  Zedwitz  saw  the  uselessness  of  their  endeavours,  and 
calling  Hamilton  to  his  side,  whispered,  "  If  you  should  be 
ill,  remember  your  promise  to  send  for  me  directly."  He 
then  placed  his  hands  on  his  shoulders,  and  kissed  him  on 
both  sides  of  his  face.  Completely  abashed  by  this  proceed- 
ing, Hamilton  blushed  excessively,  and  stammered  a  few 
incoherent  words  as  the  carriage  drove  off. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE   DISCUSSION. 


"  Oh,  Hildegarde !"  cried  Crescenz,  pushing  back  her 
work-table  in  order  to  be  able  to  see  better  from  the  window. 
"  Oh,  Hildegarde — look,  look !  There  is  Mr.  Hamilton 
driving  such  a  beautiful  sledge  up  our  street ;  and  the  horses 
are  prancing  and  dancing,  and  snaking  their  red  tassels  and 
silver  bells  !  Oh,  how  pretty  !  How  I  wish  he  would  take 
me  out  with  him  !" 

"  Babette !"  cried  Mr.  Rosenberg,  from  the  next  room, 
"  Mr.  Hamilton  is  just  passing  our  house,  and  seems  in  per- 
fect health.  How  long  do  you  mean  his  quarantine  to 
last?" 

"  I  have  no  objection  to  his  returning  to-morrow,"  an- 
swered Madame  Rosenberg,  who  was  arranging  one  of  the 
chests  of  drawers  in  the  drawing-room.  "  You  may  tell  him 
so,  if  you  like,  this  afternoon." 

"  Not  I !"  said  her  husband.  "  You  banished  him,  and 
you  may  recall  him,  too ;  if,  however,  you  really  wish  him 
to  return,  you  had  better  make  haste,  for  he  seems  to  be 
amusing  himself  very  well  at  Havard's,  and  is  always  sur- 
rounded by  a  number  of  acquaintances.  I  must  confess  I 
miss  him  more  than  I  expected." 


THE  DISCUSSION.  319 

"  I  wish  him  to  return,  of  course,"  said  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, pushing  in  the  drawers  with  some  violence ;  "  but,  for 
another  week  or  so,  I  must  say  I  have  no  objection  to  his 
remaining  where  he  is.  I  can  hardly  believe  that  he  will 
escape  the  cholera — he  is  so  careless !  Always  going  out 
without  a  cloak,  and  being  wet  through  ! — wearing  thin 
boots  and  no  flannel  waistcoat !  Heating  his  stove  and  open- 
ing his  windows  !  Running  out  in  the  middle  of  the  night 
every  time  there  is  an  alarm  about  a  house  on  fire  !  What 
can  one  expect  from  such  doings?" 

"As  you  please,  my  dear,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberg,  content- 
edly. "  You  know  I  never  had  any  fancy  for  lodgers  in  our 
house ;  he  is  the  first  I  have  been  able  to  tolerate.  I  think, 
however,  you  should  not  allow  him  to  pay  for  his  apartments 
here  and  at  Havard's  too  !" 

"  Oh,  of  course  not,"  said  his  wife ;  "  though  I  am  sure 
that  is  the  very  last  thing  he  would  think  about — he  is  ex- 
cessively careless  about  money." 

"  So  it  seems — and  I  suspect  he  is  spending  more  than  is 
necessary  at  present.     He  gives  suppers  every  night." 

"  I  don't  believe  that !" 

"  You  may  believe  it — or  rather  believe  me,  for  I  supped 
with  him  after  the  theatre  yesterday." 

"You?" 

"  Yes.  There  were  also  three  young  Englishmen  and  that 
little  Lieutenant-major  who  goes  everywhere,  playing  cards 
and  making  himself  agreeable." 

"Lieutenant-major!  How  did  Hamilton  become  ac- 
quainted with  him?" 

"  Oddly  enough  ;  he  met  him  in  the  English  Gardens  one 
evening  before  he  went  to  Seon,  and  either  knocked  him 
down  or  was  knocked  down  by  him — I  really  forget  which  ; 
but  a  fact  it  is  that  Hamilton  invited  him  to  supper  without 
remembering  his  name,  and  they  insisted  on  my  introducing 
them  formally  to  each  other." 

"  Well,  to  be  sure  !"  said  Madame  Rosenberg.  "  If  ever 
I  heard  of  such  a  thing  !" 

"  He  wishes  exceedingly  to  return  to  us,"  continued  her 
husband  ;  "  he  said  so  when  I  was  leaving — indeed,  he  gave 
me  to  understand  that  his  guests  were  merely  invited  to  pre- 
vent him  from  thinking  too  much  of  our  quiet  household !" 

"  Oh,  if  that  be  the  case,  I  consider  it  a  sort  of  duty  to 


320  THE  INITIALS. 

bring  him  back  here  and  out  of  the  way  of  temptation,"  said 
Madame  Rosenberg,  joining  her  husband,  and  leaving  Hilde- 
garde  and  Crescenz  alone. 

They  had  been  interested  auditors  of  this  conversation  as 
they  sat  together  working. 

"  How  I  like  him  for  inviting  that  Lieutenant-major  to 
supper  without  knowing  his  name  !  Don't  you  ?  It  is  so 
English  !     I  am  very  glad  he  is  coming  back  to  us !" 

"  His  return  ought  to  be  a  matter  of  indifference  to  you," 
said  Hildegrade,  without  looking  up. 

"  But  I  cannot  be  so  indifferent  as  you  are  !"  said  Crescenz, 
petulantly.  "  And,  though  I  am  going  to  be  married  to 
Major  Stultz,  Lina  Berger  says  that  Mr.  Hamilton  may  still 
be  '  mein  schatz   just  the  same,  and  no  harm  !" 

"  Lina  Berger  talks  great  nonsense,"  said  Hildegarde, 
with  heightened  colour.  "  This  is,  however,  worse  than 
nonsense." 

"  And  yet  she  could  give  you  some  good  advice,  if  you 
choose  to  listen  to  her,"  observed  Crescenz,  nodding  her  head 
sagaciously. 

"  I  do  not  require  any  advice  from  a  person  I  so  thoroughly 
dislike  and  despise." 

"  Oh,  that's  just  the  same  with  her;  she  says  she  always 
disliked  you,  but  that  she  despises  you  now  that  you  have 
fallen  in  love  with  Theodor  Biedermann  !" 

"  What  an  absurd  idea  !"  said  Hildegarde,  contemptuously. 
"  Marie  de  Hoffmann  has  already  told  me  something  of  that 
kind." 

"  Lina  told  me  long  ago  that  Mr.  Biedermann  did  not 
think  you  at  all  handsome  !" 

"  That  I  think  very  probable,"  said  Hildegarde. 

"  And  she  says  now,  he  is  just  the  person  to  teach  you  not 
to  fall  in  love  without  provocation  !" 

"  I  think  he  is  more  likely  to  teach  me  to  write  German 
grammatically,"  answered  Hildegarde,  with  a  careless  laugh. 

"  And  do  you  really  not  care  for  anybody,  and  you  a  whole 
year  older  than  I  am  !"  exclaimed  Crescenz,  with  unfeigned 
astonishment.  "  Lina  first  thought  you  liked  Mr.  Hamilton, 
until  I  assured  her  you  hated  him.  Then  she  said  you  had 
taken  a  wild  kind  of  fancy  to  our  cousin  Oscar.  Then  she 
thought  you  were  pretending  to  like  Count  Zedwitz  on 
account  of  his  rank  and " 


THE  DISCUSSION.  321 

"  I  am  sure  I  ought  to  be  obliged  to  you,  Crescenz,  for 
discussing  my  affairs  in  this  manner  with  my  great  enemy," 
said  Hildegarde,  indignantly. 

"  Oh,  don't  be  angry.  I  assure  you  she  talked  all  herself. 
I  did  not  say  a  single  word " 

"  You  forget  having  confessed  that  you  told  her  all  I  con- 
fided to  you  about  Count  Zedwitz." 

"  But  you  never  confided  in  me  at  all,  Hildegarde !  All  I 
know  was  what  I  overheard  when  you  were  so  angry  about 
the  letter,  you  know  !" 

"  I  remember  speaking  to  you  about  that  letter,  and  telling 
you  to  rejoice  that  you  had  never  any  annoyance  of  the 
kind." 

"  But  I  assure  you,  Lina  had  heard  everything  from  the 
Doctor " 

"  Pshaw !"  cried  Hildegarde,  pushing  back  her  chair, 
"  there  is  no  use  talking  to  you !" 

"  I  am  quite  prepared  for  remarks  of  this  kind,"  said 
Crescenz,  with  a  ludicrous  imitation  of  Hildegarde's  natural 
dignity  of  manner  ;  "  Lina  says  there  is  no  bearing  you  since 
I  have  been  engaged  to  be  married  !" 

"  So,"  said  Hildegarde,  throwing  down  her  work  ;  "  but  I 
do  not  quite  understand  the " 

"  Oh,  it  is  easily  understood — you  are  older,  and  think  you 
ought  to  have  been  first." 

"  This  is  really  too  absurd,"  cried  Hildegarde,  laughing 
good-humouredly. 

"  Oh,  laugh  as  much  as  you  please — but  since  we  have 
returned  from  Seon — you  have  become  quite  a  different 
person  !" 

"Did  Lina  put  that  into  your  head  also?"  asked  Hilde- 
garde, quickly. 

"  Oh,  no,"  cried  Crescenz,  while  her  eyes  filled  with  tears, 
"  I  did  not  require  Lina  to  point  that  out  to  me.  Silly  as 
you  think  me — I  can  feel — you  are  quite  changed." 

Hildegarde  bit  her  lip — walked  to  the  window — came 
hastily  back  again,  and  throwing  her  arms  round  her  sister, 
kissed  her  cheek,  while  she  whispered :  "  Dear  girl,  I  am  not 
in  the  least  changed  in  my  affection  for  you ;  but  you  know 
yourself  that  every  word  I  speak  to  you  is  repeated  to  Lina 
Berger ;  and  how  can  you  expect  me  to  trust  you  ?" 

"  But,"  said  Crescenz,  looking  up,  "  but  you  know  I  often 


322  THE  INITIALS. 

repeated  what  you  said  when  we  were  at  school,  and  you 
only  scolded  a  little  sometimes.  Now  you  scarcely  ever  get 
into  a  passion,  and  are  so  cold  and  so  careful  what  you  say — 
just  like  Mademoiselle  Hortense  !" 

"Like  Mademoiselle  Hortense?" 

"  Oh,  I  don't  mean  that  you  have  her  thick  nose  and  high 
shoulders,"  said  Crescenz,  smiling  through  her  tears,  "  but 
you  scarcely  take  any  notice  of  me,  and  are  always  talking 
of  books  with  Hamilton  !"  Hildegarde  was  silent.  "  And 
then  you  speak  English  now  more  than  French,  and  Lina 
says " 

"  Don't  tell  me  what  she  says,  don't  name  her  to  me  again," 
cried  Hildegarde,  impatiently. 

"  No — no,  I  won't,"  said  Crescenz,  alarmed. 

"  Odious  person,"  continued  Hildegarde,  turning  away,  "  I 
can  never  forgive  her  for  having  embittered  the  last  weeks 
we  shall  probably  ever  spend  together." 

"  Well,"  said  Crescenz,  drying  her  eyes,  "  at  all  events,  we 
shall  get  on  better  after  my  marriage.  You  know  you  must 
have  a  sort  of  respect  for  me  then." 

Hildegarde  turned  round  to  see  if  her  sister  were  joking ; 
but  Crescenz  looked  perfectly  serious. 

"  Respect  is  due  to  married  persons,"  she  continued,  neatly 
folding  up  the  work  which  her  sister  had  thrown  on  the 
chair.  "  Mamma  says  so — and  then,  you  know,  I  shall  be 
quite  another  sort  of  person,  when  I  am  the  mother  of  a 
family " 

Hildegarde  laughed  unrestrainedly. 

"  Madame  Lustig  says  I  may  have  a  dozen  children  !  They 
shall  all  have  pretty  names — not  one  of  them  shall  be  called 
Blazius,  that  I  am  determined — they  shall  be  Albert,  Maxi- 
milian, Ferdinard,  Adolph,  Philibert." 

"  Philibert  is  not  a  pretty  name,"  said  Hildegarde,  inter- 
rupting her  merrily. 

"  Don't  you  think  so  ?  Well,  we  can  choose  another, 
Conrad  for  instance  ?" 

"Or  Oscar?" 

"  Oh,  no,  because  I  should  imagine  a  sort  of  resemblance 
to  cousin  Oscar,  and  I  don't — quite  like  him — that  is,  not 
very  much,  though  he  is  my  cousin.  He  is  very  cross  some- 
times, indeed  almost  always  to  your  friend  Marie — but,  oh  ! 
Hildegarde,  one  very  pretty  name  we  have  forgotten,  and  of 


THE  SLEDGE.  323 

a  very  handsome  person  too — Alfred !  Mr.  Hamilton,  you 
know — is  not  Alfred  a  pretty  name  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  And  he  is  certainly  handsome  ?  Even  you  must  allow 
that?" 

Hildegarde  was  spared  the  answer,  for  Madame  Rosenberg 
entered  the  room,  and  having  discovered  that  the  tip  of 
Crescenz's  little  nose  was  red,  immediately  declared  it  was 
from  want  of  exercise,  and  sent  both  sisters  to  play  at  bat- 
tledore and  shuttlecock  in  the  nursery  with  their  brothers. 

She  then  despatched  a  messenger  to  Hamilton  which 
caused  his  immediate  return  to  her  house. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE   SLEDGE. 


Hamilton's  sledge  was  the  subject  of  discussion  the  very 
first  evening  of  his  return — he  of  course  proposed  their 
making  use  of  it,  and  assured  Madame  Rosenberg  that  she 
might  trust  herself  and  her  daughters  to  his  care  without 
fear. 

"  Oh,  dear, — I'm  sure  I  should  not  be  in  the  least  afraid," 
cried  Crescenz. 

K  And  yet  you  are  the  greatest  coward  in  the  house,"  said 
her  mother.  "  I  am  sure  you  will  scream  so  often  that  Mr. 
Hamilton  will  refuse  to  take  you  a  second  time." 

"Allow  me  to  observe,"  said  Major  Stultz,  his  face  in- 
creasing in  redness  as  he  spoke — "  and  I  conceive  I  have 
some  right  to  give  an  opinion  on  the  subject — that  I  to- 
tally disapprove  of  Crescenz's  going  out  in  Mr.  Hamilton's 
sledge." 

"  Are  you  afraid  to  trust  her  to  my  care  ?"  asked  Hamil- 
ton, laughing. 

Major  Stultz  rapped  on  the  table  with  his  fingers,  and 
looked  significantly  towards  Madame  Rosenberg. 

"  You  surely  do  not  think  I  shall  be  so  awkward  as  to 
upset  the  sledge?"  continued  Hamilton. 

"  I  have  the  highest  opinion  of  you,  Mr.  Hamilton,  the 


324  THE  INITIALS. 

highest  opinion — where  horses  are  concerned,"  began  Major 
Stultz,  with  some  embarrassment,  while  Hamilton  rubbed 
his  upper  lip  to  hide  a  smile.  "  Had  you  a  carriage  instead 
of  a  sledge,  the  case  would  be  different,  and  I — but  I  see 
you  understand  me." 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  said  Hamilton,  looking  up  in  unfeigned 
astonishment. 

"  Crescenz  does,  however,"  said  Major  Stultz,  turning  to 
his  betrothed,  whose  face  was  suffused  with  blushes. 

Madame  Rosenberg  had  been  occupied  with  little  Peppy 
— she  was  arranging  the  broken  harness  of  a  wooden  cart- 
horse, which  had  been  dragged  somewhat  roughly  round  the 
room.  She  now  looked  up,  and  observed  in  a  low  voice,  and 
with  a  sort  of  expressive  wink  at  Major  Stultz,  "  Mr.  Ham- 
ilton, being  an  Englishman,  knows  nothing  about  sledging 
rights.  Keep  your  own  counsel,  and  he  will  never  think  of 
claiming  it." 

"  He  may  claim  it  from  whoever  he  pleases,"  cried  Major 
Stultz,  bluntly  ;  "  but  not  from  my  Crescenz,  that's  all." 

"  What  is  it — what  is  my  right?  What  may  I  claim?" 
asked  Hamilton,  quickly. 

No  one  seemed  disposed  to  explain,  until  at  length  Ma- 
dame Rosenberg  replied,  laughing,  "  Neither  more  nor  less 
than  a  kiss,  which  is  a  sort  of  old  privilege  allowed  a  gen- 
tleman if  he  drive  a  lady  in  a  sledge  !  Now  I  know  that 
from  me  you  will  not  claim  it,  because  I  am  neither  young 
nor  pretty — nor  from  Hildegarde,  because  you  don't  like  her 
well  enough — nor  from  Crescenz,  because  she  is  betrothed. 
So  really,  Major,  I  see  no  reason  for  making  such  a  serious 
face." 

"  I  intend  to  drive  Crescenz  myself  iu  a  sledge,"  said 
Major  Stultz;  "I  take  it  for  granted  she  will  enjoy  it  as 
much  with  me  as  with  Mr.  Hamilton." 

Crescenz  bent  her  head  over  her  work,  and  said  not  a 
word. 

A  heavy  fall  of  snow  during  the  night,  and  a  clear  blue 
sky  the  next  day,  proved  most  propitious ;  and  after  dinner 
the  sledge  was  brought  to  the  door.  Madame  Rosenberg 
and  her  son  Gustle  were  carefully  assisted  by  Hamilton  into 
the  light  fantastic  vehicle,  while  Hans,  not  unnecessarily, 
held  the  horses'  heads.  No  sooner  were  the  spirited  animals 
released  than  they  bounded  forward  with  a  vehemence  which 


THE  PLEDGE.  325 

caused  Madame  Rosenberg  to  utter  an  only  half-suppressed 
scream,  while  the  child,  participating  in  his  mother's  alarm, 
seized  Hamilton's  arm,  and  clung  to  it  with  all  his  strength. 
One  of  the  horses  reared  dangerously.  "  Gustle,  you  must 
not  touch  my  arm  or  the  reins !"  cried  Hamilton,  shaking 
him  off.  "  They  will  be  quiet  in  a  moment,"  he  added  to 
Madame  Rosenberg,  who  had  closed  her  eyes  and  com- 
pressed her  lips  as  if  prepared  for  the  worst ;  but  notwith- 
standing all  his  endeavours,  the  horses  pranced  and  danced 
and  bounded,  to  the  great  admiration  of  the  passers-by, 
while  poor  Madame  Rosenberg  sat  in  a  sort  of  agony.  She 
did  not  speak  a  word  until  they  had  reached  the  Nymphen- 
burg  road,  but  there  every  sledge  they  met  increased  her 
terrors,  and  at  length  she  spoke — "  Oh,  dear,  good,  excellent 
Mr.  Hamilton — turn  back  and  take  me  home  again — I  know 
you  are  too  good-natured  to  enjoy  my  anxiety — if  it  were 

only  for  Gustle's  sake,  see Oh  ! Ah  !     The  child  is 

frightened  to  death  almost,  and  no  wonder !  I  declare  if  1. 
had  not  come  out  in  my  slippers  I  would  walk  home — oh, 
pray  stop — turn — before  we  meet  that  sledge  coming  to- 
wards us.  When  your  horses  hear  the  bells  of  the  other 
sledges,  they  get  quite  wild  !  Dear,  kind  Mr.  Hamilton,  I 
shall  love  you  all  my  life  if  you  will  only  take  us  home 
again." 

Gustle,  shocked  by  his  mother's  unwonted  humility  of 
manner,  and  imagining  himself  in  the  most  imminent  dan- 
ger, commenced  roaring  with  all  his  might,  and  Hamilton 
turned  his  horses,  while  assuring  Madame  Rosenberg  they 
were  the  gentlest  animals  in  the  world,  and  it  was  only  the 
fine  weather  that  had  put  them  in  spirits. 

On  their  return  they  found  a  respectable-looking  hackney 
coach  placed  on  a  sledge  waiting  at  the  door.  Crescenz, 
her  little  brother  Peppy,  and  Major  Stultz  were  preparing  to 
enter  it. 

"  I  will  go  with  you,"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg,  joining 
them,  "  Gustle  must  not  lose  his  drive — Mr.  Hamilton's 
horses  are  much  too  wild  for  me  !" 

"  I  thought  as  much,"  said  Major  Stultz,  with  evident 
satisfaction. 

"  Am  I  permitted  to  ask  Mademoiselle  Hildegarde  to  go 
with  me  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Yes,  but  you  must  tell  her  how  your  horses  have  fright* 
28 


326  THE  INITIALS. 

ened  me,  and  you  must  promise  to  drive  on  the  Nymphen- 
burg  road  where  we  can  see  you,  and  you  must  not  go  farther 
than  the  palace,  and  back  again." 

"  Agreed,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  And  you  must  on  no  account  quit  the  sledge,  or  enter 
the  inn." 

"  Of  course  not." 

Hildegarde  was  surprised  to  see  him  so  soon  again.  He 
explained,  and  asked  her  if  she  were  afraid  to  trust  herself 
to  his  care. 

"  No,  I  believe  you  drive  well." 

"  Rather — but  I  have  never  had  a  sledge  until  now — and 
they  seem  slippery  concerns." 

"  I  have  heard  that  being  thrown  out  of  one  is  more  un- 
comfortable than  dangerous,"  said  Hildegarde,  laughing  as 
she  entered  her  room  to  dress  herself. 

The  horses  pawed  the  half-frozen  snow,  and  were  even 
more  impatient  than  before — but  this  time  no  hand  was  laid 
on  his  arm,  no  stifled  scream  vexed  his  ear.  Hildegarde  ad- 
mired the  silver  serpents  which  ornamented  the  front  of  the 
sledge — the  silver  bells  which  glittered  on  the  harness,  and 
the  gay  scarlet  tassels  which  the  horses  flung  in  the  air  with 
every  movement — the  blue  sky — the  dazzling  snow  ;  and 
Hamilton,  perfectly  reassured,  was  soon  able  to  prove  to  his 
horses  that  he  no  longer  feared  to  correct  them. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  had  overtaken  and  passed  the 
hackney  sledge,  containing  the  rest  of  the  party,  nor  was  it 
long  before  they  reached  Nymphenburg. 

';  What  shall  we  do  now?"  said  Hamilton.  "  I  promised 
your  mother  not  to  go  farther  than  the  palace ;  I  am  sure 
the  others  are  not  yet  half-way  here  ;  must  we  go  home  so 
sood  ?'' 

"  Drive  round  and  round  this  enclosure  until  they  come, 
it  will  amuse  us  and  exercise  the  horses,"  replied  Hildegarde. 

They  drove  round  several  times,  each  time  quicker  than 
the  preceding,  while  Hans,  with  extraordinary  energy, 
cracked  the  pliant  leather  whip  peculiar  to  sledges.  Several 
people  collected  to  look  on,  among  others  a  carter,  with  an 
empty  wagon.  One  of  his  horses  was  young  and  unbroken  ; 
as  the  sledge  passed,  it  plunged,  and  rattled  its  heavy  har- 
ness ;  Hamilton's  horses  shied,  dashed  into  the  deep  snow 
heaped  up  beside  the  road,  upset  the  sledge,  and  then  strug- 


THE  SLEDGE.  327 

gled  violently  to  make  themselves  free.  Hamilton  still  con- 
trived to  hold  the  reins  until  his  servant  came  to  his  assist- 
ance, and  then  rushed  to  Hildegarde,  who  had  been  thrown 
to  some  distance.     A  crowd  had  soon  gathered  round  her. 

"  Hildegarde,  dearest,  are  you  hurt  ?"  he  asked,  anxiously. 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  she  answered,  laughing,  while  she 
shook  the  snow  from  her  cloak,  "  not  in  the  least ;  I  was 
thrown  at  the  first  jerk  into  the  fresh  snow,  and  every  time 
I  attempted  to  get  up  I  fell  back  again,  until  I  received 
assistance,  for  which  I  thank  you,"  she  said,  turning  to  some 
strangers ;  and  then  she  added  hurriedly  to  Hamilton,  "  Let 
us  go  home." 

The  sledge  had  been  easily  set  to  rights,  and  they  once 
more  drove  off  at  a  furious  pace. 

"  As  wild  a  young  pair  as  ever  I  saw,"  observed  an  officer 
to  his  wife,  as  they  turned  towards  the  inn  to  rest,  and  re- 
fresh themselves  with  a  cup  of  coffee. 

"  We  have  disobeyed  your  mother,"  began  Hamilton, 
"  unintentionally  indeed,  but " 

"  How  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  Why,  she  forbade  our  leaving  the  sledge  on  any  account 
whatever,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing ;  "  now,  I  don't  in  the 
least  mind  being  lectured  by  her,  but  I  confess  I  do  not  enjoy 
the  idea  of  Major  Stultz's  triumph.  How  unmercifully  I 
shall  be  laughed  at !" 

''  I  don't  see  any  necessity  for  saying  anything  about  the 
matter,"  said  Hildegarde ;  "  if  you  choose  to  be  silent,  I 
shall  never  refer  to  the  subject;  in  fact,  I  was  altogether  to 
blame,  it  was  my  proposition  driving  round  that  enclosure, 
and  it  was  I  who  encouraged  you  to  worry  the  horses,  in 
order  to  show  you  that  I  was  not  afraid  of  them." 

"  The  carter  and  his  young  horse  were  to  blame,"  said 
Hamilton  ;  "  he  ought  not  to  have  come  so  close  to  us  ;  but 
I  should  be  very  glad  to  escape  Major  Stultz's  heavy  raillery. 
Do  you  hear,  Hans — you  fell  out  of  the  sledge  in  your  sleep 
— not  even  to  your  father  must  you  say  otherwise  than  that 
my  horses  are  as  steady  as  oxen.     Do  you  understand  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

Perhaps  the  fear  of  being  questioned  induced  Hamilton 
when  returning  to  pass  the  others  so  quickly  that  he  did  not 
hear  their  cries  to  him  to  stop  and  return  to  Nymphenburg. 
Perhaps  the  wish  to  be  once  more  alone  with  his  companion 


328  THE  INITIALS. 

for  half  an  hour  made  him  urge  his  horses  to  their  hardest 
trot:  if  the  latter  had  been  his  object,  his  annoyance  may 
be  conceived  when,  on  reaching  home,  just  as  they  had 
begun  to  ascend  the  stairs  together,  gayly  laughing,  he  per- 
ceived Count  Rainiund  standing  above  them.  He  had  seen 
their  arrival  from  the  Hoffmanns'  window,  and  rushed  out 
under  pretence  of  a  joke,  but,  in  reality,  to  waylay  them. 
Hamilton  could  not  conceal  his  vexation ;  he  frowned,  and 
muttered  the  words  "  Everlasting  bore  !"  which  made  Hilde- 
garde's  countenance  change  in  a  manner  that  irritated  her 
cousin.  "  Hildegarde,  I  must  speak  to  you,"  he  began  ab- 
ruptly. 

"  Speak  on,"  she  said,  continuing  to  ascend  the  stairs. 

"  I  must  ask  you  a  question — and — we  must  be  alone." 

"  You  are  peremptory — ask  differently,  and  per — haps  I 
may  comply  with  your  request." 

Count  Raimund  grasped — not  gently — his  cousin's  arm — 
she  turned  round — became  very  pale — and  requested  Hamil- 
ton, in  a  low  voice,  to  go  up  stairs — she  would  follow  him 
directly. 

"Do  you  really  wish  me  to  go?"  he  asked,  hesitatingly. 
"  Do  you  remain  willingly  with  your  cousin  ?  Remember," 
he  added  indignantly,  "  the  nearest  relationship  cannot 
authorise  such " 

Count  Raimund  made  a  violent  gesture — Hildegarde 
placed  herself  between  them,  and  said  hurriedly,  "  I — I  do 
wish  to  speak  to  Oscar,"  and  Hamilton  instantly  left  them. 

Directly  he  was  gone  her  manner  totally  changed.  "  Your 
question,  Oscar,  and  quickly,"  she  said,  naughtily,  "  I  have 
no  intention  of  remaining  on  the  cold  staircase  more  than  a 
few  minutes." 

"  Gently,  gently,  Hildegarde — you  think  the  danger  is 
over  now  your  treasure  is  out  of  sight — but  you  see  how 
ready  he  is  to  quarrel,  with  all  his  coolness — be  careful, 
for " 

"  Your  question,"  said  Hildegarde,  leaning  against  the 
wall,  with  a  sigh  of  resignation. 

"  Did  this  a — this  Englishman  condescend  to  claim  his 
sledging  right  from  you  ?" 

"  No." 

"  Did  he  not  think  it  worth  while  ?"  said  Raimund,  sneer- 
ingly. 


THE  SLEDGE.  329 

"  Very  probably.     Have  you  anything  else  to  observe?" 

"  Yes,  false  girl  I"  cried  Raimund,  vehemently,  "  you 
know  this  is  not  the  case — you  know  this  is  not  the  case — 
you  know  he  loves  you — his  every  look  betrays  him  ;  but,  by 
heaven,  if  you  grant  him  what  I,  your  nearest  relative,  have 
so  long  implored  in  vain — his  life  shall  be  the  forfeit " 

"  Always  threatening !"  exclaimed  Hildegarde,  indig- 
nantly. 

"  It  is  my  only  means  to  obtain  a  moment's  attention  from 
you.  He  little  knows  that  to  his  influence  alone  I  am  in- 
debted for  every  favour — for  every  common  civility  I  re- 
ceive from  you !" 

"  He  little  knows  that,  indeed  !"  said  Hildegarde,  bitterly, 
"  were  he  aware  of  it,  he  would  soon  release  me  from  my 
thraldom." 

"  Tell  him — tell  him.  I  desire  nothing  more  than  that 
matters  should  come  to  extremities.  Your  look  incredulous, 
Hildegarde.  Hear  me,  and  judge  for  yourself.  Pecuniary 
difficulties  have  often  made  men  put  an  end  to  their  exist- 
ence— and  you  know  what  mine  are !  Add  to  this  a  violent 
and  hopeless  love,  and  the  certainty  of  being  obliged,  in  a 
week  or  ten  days,  to  marry  a  person  for  whom  I  never  can 
feel  a  particle  of  either  affection  or  admiration !" 

"  But  who  is  worthy  of  both  !"  cried  Hildegarde. 

"  Perhaps  so — I  wish  Marie  every  happiness  with  another 
— for  myself,"  he  added,  folding  his  arms  and  looking 
musingly  down  the  stairs ;  "  I  wish  to  die,  to  die  soon — and 
quickly — but  not  by  my  own  hand.  They  say  it  is  a  fearful 
crime  to  commit  suicide.  Were  I  certain  of  being  shot  by 
Hamilton,  I  should  not  hesitate — he  must  then  leave  Bavaria 
and  you  for  ever — but  the  chances  are  I  should  shoot  him 

1  hate  him  so  intensely  that  the  temptation  would  be 

more  than  I  could  resist." 

"  Horrible  !"  cried  Hildegarde,  covering  her  face  with  her 
hands.  "  How  can  you  deliberately  think  of  committing 
murder?" 

"  That's  it — that's  what  I  mean ;  you  see,  Hildegarde, 
death  is  my  only  resource ;  but  I  shudder  at  the  thought  of 
staining  my  hands  with  other  blood  than  my  own.  The 
double  crime  is  more  than  I  can  resolve  upon." 

"  Ah,  I  see  now,"  said  she,  forcing  a  smile ;  "  you  are 
only  trying  to  frighten  me,  as  you  have  often  done  before." 

28* 


330  THE  INITIALS. 

He  shook  his  head,  and  continued.  "  As  long  as  I  had 
the  faintest  hope  of  obtaining  your  affection,  I  was  a  different 
being ;  you  might  have  made  of  me  what  you  pleased — 
and  I  should  have  gained  your  love  but  for  this  supercilious 
Englishman,  for  you  were  disposed  to  like  me  at  first." 

"  As  a  relation — yes." 

"  More  than  that — much  more,  Hildegarde,"  cried  Rai- 
mund,  vehemently. 

"  And  had  I  loved  you  more  than  as  a  cousin,  what  pur- 
pose would  it  have  served  ?  Our  relationship  is  too  near  to 
permit  of  a  marriage." 

"  Nothing  easier  than  obtaining  a  dispensation,"  cried 
Raimund,  eagerly,  and  in  a  moment  losing  all  violence  of 
manner  and  voice. 

"  But  we  are  both  without  fortune,"  said  Hildegarde. 

"  I  could  quit  the  army.  There  are  many  situations 
which  I   could  obtain.     We  should    be   poor,  indeed,  very 

poor ;  but  what  is  poverty  when Oh  !  Hildegarde,  has 

this    consideration   caused   your   coldness,  or    are    you 

What  a  fool  I  am  !"  he  exclaimed,  passionately.  "  She 
treats  me  like  a  madman  from  whom  she  would  escape  with- 
out witnessing  a  paroxysm  !  Go,  you  have  tortured  me — 
deliberately — most  horribly.  Go,  I  would  hate  you  if  I 
could !" 

Hildegarde  began  slowly  to  ascend  the  stairs ;  as  she 
turned  to  the  next  flight  an  unusual  sound  made  her  look 
downwards,  and  she  perceived  her  cousin  vainly  endeavour- 
ing to  suppress  the  fearful  emotion  which  agitated  his  whole 
frame.  A  man's  tears  are  a  phenomenon  too  rare  to  be 
seen  unmoved.  Hildegarde  stopped,  and  held  out  her  hand. 
"  Oscar,  dear  Oscar,  what  I  said  was  not  in  heartlessness,  but 
in  the  hope  of  convincing  you  of  the  utter  impossibility  of 
our  ever  being  more  to  each  other  than  cousins.  Think  of 
your  solemn  engagement  to  Marie — of  your  promises  to 
your  father.  Remember  that  no  situation  you  could  ever 
obtain  would  enable  you  to  pay  your  debts  I" 

"  True — most  true.  I  was  dreaming  just  now,"  said  Rai- 
mund, with  forced  composure.  "  I  am  sorry  to  have  kept 
you  so  long  here — in  the  cold.  Go,  Mr.  Hamilton  is  waiting 
for  you !" 

"  He  is  not.  I  shall  most  probably  not  see  him  until 
evening." 


THE  SLEDGE.  331 

Raimund  looked  up,  smiled  mournfully,  and  then  rushed 
down  the  stairs. 

A  minute  later  Hildegarde  was  in  her  room ;  her  cloak 
and  boa  almost  suffocated  her,  and  she  shook  them  off  im- 
patiently, sank  on  a  chair,  and  murmured :  "  What  shall  I 
do  ?  What  ought  I  to  do  ?  Oscar  will  quarrel  with  him — 
kill  him,  and  I  shall  be  the  cause.  He  must  leave  Munich 
— leave  us,  and  return  to  England."  Here  she  sprang  from 
her  chair,  and  walked  up  and  down  the  room  for  a  few  min- 
utes.    "  Is  there,  then,  no  other  way  of  keeping  him  out  of 

danger  ?     Suppose  he  could  be  induced  to  go  to  the  Z 's  ? 

He  said  he  intended  to  visit  them.  If  he  only  could  go 
until  after  Oscar's  marriage  ?  A  fortnight — only  two  weeks, 
and  all  danger  would  be  over !  I  must  speak  to  him,  even 
if  he  insists  on  knowing  everything.  I  wonder  if  he  is  in 
the  drawing-room  ?" 

He  was  not,  nor  in  the  school-room,  and  she  had  not  the 
courage  to  seek  him  in  his  apartment.  She  hoped  to  find  an 
opportunity  in  the  course  of  the  next  day,  although  with 
female  quickness  she  had  already  observed  that  he  no  longer 
sought  to  be  alone  with  her,  or  in  any  way  to  occupy  her  at- 
tention. Hamilton's  motives  were  honourable,  but  he  could 
scarcely  have  chosen  a  more  judicious  mode  of  conduct  in 
order  to  facilitate  their  intercourse  ;  it  had  already  convinced 
Mr.  Rosenberg  of  his  indifference  to  his  daughter  just  when 
he  had  begun  to  entertain  suspicions  to  the  contrary,  and 
confirmed  Madame  Rosenberg  in  the  idea  that  Hamilton 
actually  disliked  her. 

After  wandering  about  the  house  for  some  time,  Hilde- 
garde returned  to  her  room,  and  endeavoured  to  arrange  her 
thoughts,  and  her  balls  of  coloured  worsted  and  silks,  until 
the  return  of  her  family.  They  came  late,  and  talked  loudly 
and  gayly  on  their  arrival.  When  Crescenz  entered  the 
room,  she  immediately  exclaimed,  "  Oh !  Hildegarde,  we 
have  had  such  a  pleasant  party — such  a  number  of  people, 
and  such  good  coffee  !  and  the  Bergers.     Oh  dear,  I  was  so 

sorry  that  you  and but  I  had  almost  forgotten,  mamma 

says  you  must  make  tea  directly  for  Mr.  Hamilton,  he  is 
going  to  the  theatre,  there  is  an  opera,  and  he  wishes  to  hear 
the  overture." 

Hildegarde  pushed  back  her  work-frame,  and  left  the 
room  to  seek  the  breakfast  service  of  highly  gilt  china,  which 


332  THE  INITIALS. 

Madame  Rosenberg  had  received  as  a  wedding-present,  and 
which,  though  certainly  intended  by  the  donor  to  have  been 
"  kept  for  show,"  she  had  latterly  appropriated  to  Hamil- 
ton's use,  whenever  he  drank  tea  alone,  and  this  was  gener- 
ally the  case  the  evenings  he  went  to  the  theatre.  When 
she  carried  it  to  the  drawing-room,  she  found  her  father, 
mother,  and  Major  Stultz  with  him,  and  as  she  poured  out  the 
weak  beverage,  and  arranged  the  plate  of  bread  and  butter, 
her  mother  continued  speaking — "  We  thought  you  did  not 
choose  to  hear  us — but  then  what  motive  could  you  have  ?" 

"  What !  indeed  !"  said  Hamilton. 

"The  Major  shouted  the  word  Nymphenburg  and  coffee 
as  loud  as  he  could  ;  he  thought  they  might  give  you  an 
idea  what  we  meant." 

"  We  heard  nothing.  The  confounded  bells  made  such  a 
noise." 

':  The  bells  are  very  useful  when  it  grows  foggy,  or  dark, 
as  we  found  this  evening,"  observed  Major  Stultz. 

"  Hildegarde,  you  may  light  the  candles — Mr.  Hamilton 
cannot  find  the  way  to  his  mouth." 

Hildegarde  brought  them,  while  Crescenz,  who  had  joined 
the  others,  continued  repeating  :  "  So  pleasant,  so  gay  !  So 
many  people  !  And  then  about  the  upset — did  you  relate 
about  that  ?" 

"  No,"  cried  Hamilton,  looking  up  ;  "  pray  tell  me  about  it. 
You  don't  mean  to  say  you  were  upset?" 

"  Oh,  no  !  But  a  young  Englishman  and  his  wife  were 
thrown  out  of  their  sledge  to-day  when  they  were  driving 
around  the  palings  at  Nymphenburg.  Captain  What-'s-his- 
name  told  us  all  about  it,  and  they  were  so  young  and  so 
handsome,  he  said." 

"  Your  countrymen  can  drive  mail-coaches  better  than 
sledges,"  said  Major  Stultz.  laughing. 

"  It  is  not  proved  that  they  were  English,"  said  Hamilton, 
with  a  smile  only  perceptible  to  Hildegarde.  "  They  may 
have  been  Germans." 

"  Zimmermann  said  they  were  certainly  English,  and  he 
understands  the  language.  The  lady  thanked  him  in  French 
for  extricating  her  out  of  the  snow ;  he  says  she  was  quite 
English-looking,  and  uncommonly  handsome  !" 

11 1  have  no  doubt  of  his  judgment  on  that  subject,"  said 
Hamilton. 


THE  SLEDGE.  333 

"  And,"  said  Crescenz,  "  her  husband  seemed  so  fond  of 
her,  and  said  all  sorts  of  things  to  her  when  he  assisted  her 
into  the  sledge  again  !" 

"  All  sorts  of  things  !"  cried  Hamilton,  laughing ;  "  such 
as,  for  instance " 

"  Oh,  I  cannot  say  the  English  words — I  have  never  heard 
you  say  anything  that  sounded  like  them." 

"  Of  course  not — I  must  wait  until  I  have  a  wife,  I 
suppose." 

Hildegarde's  face  had  flushed  during  this  conversation. 
Hamilton  seemed  so  much  amused  with  it,  that  he  forgot 
the  overture  he  had  been  so  anxious  to  hear.  "  Your  friend 
did  not  know  at  all  who  they  were  ?"  he  asked,  bending  over 
his  tea-cup. 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  answered  Major  Stultz  ;  "  but  the  lady 
made  a  great  impression  on  Zimmermann,  he  seemed  alto- 
gether to  have  fallen  in  love  with  her  ?" 

"  Oh,  ho  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Rosenberg,  "  what  did  his  wife 
say  to  that?" 

"  She  said  she  had  no  cause  for  jealousy,  the  English- 
woman did  not  look  at  anyone — she  only  seemed  anxious  to 
assure  her  husband  that  she  was  not  in  the  least  hurt,  though 
she  must  have  been  considerably  bruised,  and  she  appeared 
to  wish  everyone  else  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea !  A  good 
example  for  you,  Crescenz,  next  month,  eh?" 

Crescenz  looked  silly,  and  turned  away. 

"  Half-past  six  !"  cried  Mr.  Rosenberg,  looking  at  his 
watch  ;  "  I  must  be  off.  Mr.  Hamilton  seems  to  forget  that 
he  intended  to  go  with  me  to  the  theatre.  The  overture  will 
be  over." 

"  But  not  the  ballet,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and  the  ballet  in 
Robert  is  what  I  like  best ;  if  I  be  in  time  for  that  and 
the  Princess's  aria,  I  am  satisfied." 

Mr.  Rosenberg,  who  went  regularly  four  times  a  week  to 
the  theatre,  and  particularly  disliked  arriving  late,  partly 
from  the  fear  of  being  obliged  to  walk  over  his  neighbors'  feet 
in  order  to  reach  his  chair,  partly  from  long  habits  of  punc- 
tuality, after  a  few  minutes'  indulgence  of  civilly  expressive 
impatience,  quitted  the  room,  bowing  over  his  watch,  which 
he  still  held  in  his  hand,  as  a  sort  of  excuse  to  Hamilton. 

"  I  thought  you  intended  to  go  to  ?"  said  Crescenz  to  Major 
Stultz. 


334  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Yes,  Zimmermann  has  given  me  his  place  to-night,  but 
I  believe  I  shall  wait  for  Mr.  Hamilton." 

"  I  shall  be  delighted,"  said  Hamilton,  "  but  you  must  not 
expect  me  to  leave  this  warm  room  for  an  hour  at  least." 

"An  hour!"  exclaimed  Major  Stultz;  "why,  half  the 
opera  will  be  over." 

"  Very  likely,  but  I  have  heard  it  so  often." 

"  Do  you  forget  the  ballet?" 

"  Very  likely  I  shall,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  I  knew,"  cried  Crescenz,  "  I  knew  he  did  not  really  care 
for  the  ballet." 

"  Excuse  me,  but  I  do  care  for  the  ballet,  and  I  should 
care  more  for  it  if  the  dancers  were  prettier,  and  had  not 
such  thick  ankles !" 

"  Smooth  waters  run  deep,"  said  Major  Stultz.  "  It  is  a 
pity,  Crescenz,  your  mother  did  not  hear  that  speech,  she 
would  hardly  have  believed  her  own  ears  !" 

"  Why  not?"  said  Hamilton.  "  Do  you  mean  to  say  that 
you  do  not,  or  did  not  formerly,  like  seeing  a  ballet  and 
pretty  women  too?" 

"  We  will  not  discuss  this  subject  in  the  presence  of  the 
young  ladies,"  said  Major  Stultz. 

"  There  is  nothing  to  discuss,"  said  Hamilton,  carelessly ; 
"  I  like  seeing  pretty  faces,  and  pretty  ankles,  and  graceful 
figures,  and  I  believe  I  am  not  singular  in  my  taste  ;  perhaps, 
however,  you  prefer  the  flowing  hair  which  will  be  exhibited 
to-night.  By-the-by,  one  girl  has  the  very  longest  and  thick- 
est hair  I  ever  saw.     Have  you  not  observed  it  ?" 

"  Yes ;  Crescenz's,  however,  is  nearly  as  long,  I  should 
think,"  replied  Major  Stultz,  touching  the  thick  plaits  which 
were  wound  round  the  back  of  her  head. 

"  She  would  make  a  charming  ballet-dancer  in  every  re- 
spect," murmured  Hamilton  in  French,  while  he  laughingly 
glanced  at  her. 

"What  does  he  say?"  asked  Major  Stultz,  who  observed 
that  Crescenz  blushed  and  smiled  alternately.  "  What  does 
he  say?" 

"  To  think  of  his  caring  so  much  for  a  ballet !"  answered 
Crescenz,  evasively,  while  she  still  blushed,  and  then  laughed 
as  she  added,  "  and  you  know  all  mamma  said  about  his 
being  religious,  and  not  going  out  in  the  evenings,  or  on 
Sunday  to  the  theatre." 


THE  SLEDGE.  335 

"  I  suspect  your  mother  has  a  better  opinion  of  him  than 
he  deserves,"  whispered  Major  Stultz.  Crescenz,  however, 
shook  her  head  so  incredulously,  or  so  coquettishly,  that  he 
added,  "  Do  not  think  me  jealous  ;  it  is  impossible,  now  that 
I  know  who  is  the  real  object  of  his  devotion." 

"  Ah,  you  mean  Hildegarde,"  said  Crescenz,  carelessly. 

"  Oh,  no." 

"  Who  then  ?"  asked  Crescenz,  turning  towards  him 
quickly,  curiosity  depicted  in  every  feature,  "  who?" 

"  I  can  scarcely  tell  you — as  he  has  chosen  a  married 
woman " 

Crescenz  looked  aghast.  Major  Stultz's  jealousy  con- 
quered his  usual  circumspection — the  moment  was  too  fav- 
ourable for  making  an  impression — he  bent  towards  her  and 
whispered,  "  No  other  than  your  friend,  Madame  Berger." 

"  Impossible !" 

"  Certain,  nevertheless.  When  your  mother  forbade  his 
returning  here,  he  was  invited  to  spend  his  disengaged  even- 
ings at  her  house,  lie  knows  the  Doctor  well ;  besides. 
Berger  is  Zedwitz's  physician,  and  they  have  often  met 
lately.  Had  the  thing  been  feasible,  Hamilton  would,  I 
have  no  doubt,  have  taken  up  his  quarters  in  their  house !" 

Crescenz  for  once  in  her  life  seemed  to  think,  and  think 
deeply.  All  Major  Stultz's  efforts  to  continue  the  conversa- 
tion were  fruitless ;  she  bent  her  head  over  her  work,  and 
scarcely  heard  his  excuses  and  regrets  that  he  was  going  to 
the  theatre  without  her.  After  he  had  left  the  room,  there 
was  a  long  pause.  Hildegarde  had  been  leaning  her  head 
on  her  hand  for  the  last  half  hour,  apparently  unconscious 
of  what  was  going  on  about  her.  Crescenz  moved  softly 
towards  her,  and  on  pretence  of  consulting  her  about  her 
work,  contrived  to  relate  what  she  had  just  heard. 

Hildegarde  became  so  suddenly  and  remarkably  pale,  that 
Hamilton,  who  was  in  the  habit  of  watching  her,  immedi- 
ately perceived  it,  and  exclaimed,  "  What  is  the  matter  ? 
Are  you  ill  ?" 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  she  answered,  hastily  rising  and  walk- 
ing to  the  other  end  of  the  room. 

"  But  is  it  not  odious  ?"  cried  Crescenz,  indignantly  ;  "  she 
is  the  very  last  person  I  should  have  thought  of !" 

"  And  the  very  first  I  should  have  suspected,"  said  Hilde- 
garde. 


336  THE  INITIALS. 

The  house-bell  rang,  and  a  slight  noise  in  the  passage  was 
followed  by  the  entrance  of  the  person  who  had  been  the 
subject  of  conversation.  "  How  very  odd  !"  exclaimed  Cre- 
scenz,  while  Madame  Berger,  advancing  towards  Hamilton, 
held  out  her  hand,  saying,  "  A  VAnglaise  ;  how  I  like  your 
English  custom  of  shaking  hands — it  is  so  friendly  !  Bon 
soir,  Hildegarde.  Give  me  a  kiss,  Cressy.  Here  I  am,  come 
all  in  the  snow  on  foot  to  talk  over  our  first  ball,  eh  ?  and  to 
arrange  the  party  of  which  we  spoke,"  she  added,  turning  to 
Hamilton. 

"  How  provoking — and  I  am  just  preparing  to  go  to  the 
theatre !" 

"  You  most  uncivil  person  !  Can  you  not  bestow  half  an 
hour  on  me?" 

"  An  hour — two  hours,  if  you  in  the  slightest  degree  wish 
it.     My  regrets  were  for  myself." 

Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  look  at  each  other. 

"  I  have  not,"  he  continued  gayly,  "  forgotten  the  pleasant 
evenings  which  I  spent  in  your  house  during  my  banish- 
ment— they  will  ever  remain  among  my  most  agreeable  rec- 
ollections." 

"  Perhaps  I  may  give  them  a  place  among  mine  too,"  said 
Madame  Berger,  seating  herself  on  the  sofa,  and  taking  her 
knitting  apparatus  out  of  her  pocket.  Her  fingers  were  soon 
in  such  quick  motion,  that  it  was  impossible  to  follow  them, 
but  so  expert  was  she  in  this  kind  of  work,  that  her  head 
turned  in  every  direction,  and  her  eyes  wandered  round  the 
room  as  if  she  had  been  totally  unoccupied.  "  Why,  girls, 
what  is  the  matter  with  you  both  this  evening  ?  I  never  saw 
you  so  dull.  We  can  fancy  ourselves  tete-a-tete"  she  said, 
laughingly,  to  Hamilton,  "  if  you  would  only  cease  playing 
with  your  teaspoon  and  sit  down  beside  me  here." 

Hamilton  immediately  took  the  offered  place,  and  Madame 
Berger,  half  playfully,  half  maliciously,  turned  quite  away 
from  the  sisters.  "  Well,"  she  continued,  glancing  covertly 
toward  them  ;  to-morrow  is  our  first  ball ;  of  course  you 
have  heard  of  our  muslin  dresses  and  wreaths  of  roses?" 

"  No,"  said  Hamilton, "  I  only  returned  here  yesterday  even- 
ing, and  have  heard  nothing  about  it.     Where  is  the  ball  ?" 

"  At  the  Museum.  You  are  a  member  of  the  club,  I 
believe — it  is  there  you  read  the  foreign  newspapers,  you 
know.     I  shall  keep  a  waltz  or  galop  for  you." 


THE  SLEDGE.  337 

"  To-inorrow,  did  you  say  ?  and  I  am  invited  to  a  private 
ball  at  Court !     If  it  were  only  the  day  after  !" 

"  This  all  conies  from  cholera  !"  cried  Madame  Berger,  in 
a  tone  of  vexation.  "  Everything  heaped  together  at  the 
end  of  the  carnival !  There  is  to  be  a  masquerade  at  the 
theatre  on  Monday ;  you  said  you  wished  to  go  to  one ;  let 
us  at  least  arrange  something  about  that." 

"  Can  you  not  promise  to  be  of  the  party  ?"  said  Hamil- 
ton, turning  to  Hildegarde. 

"  It  will  altogether  depend  upon  papa,"  she  answered 
coldly,  and  then  left  the  room  without  looking  towards  the 
speakers. 

"  Come  here,  Crescenz,"  said  Madame  Berger,  "  come 
here,  and  I  will  tell  you  how  we  can  manage  it:  your 
mother  intends  to  go  some  day  or  other  to  see  her  father. 
Why  not  on  Monday,  if  Mr.  Hamilton  offers  his  sledge  ?' ' 

"  Oh,  she  is  so  afraid  of  his  horses,  that  nothing  would 
tempt  her  to  take  them." 

"  Well,  then,  the  Doctor  must  lend  his  old  greys,  for  on 
Monday  both  she  and  your  father  must  be  out  of  the  way. 
Don't  be  so  stupid  as  to  say  this  to  Hildegarde,  how- 
ever !" 

"  Oh,  mamma  will  never  trust  us  with  you  alone,"  said 
Crescenz. 

"  I  suspected  as  much,  and  have  engaged  old  Lustig  to  go 
with  us ;  she  will  do  whatever  we  please,  and  I  have  prom- 
ised to  arrange  a  '  bat'  for  her  like  my  own ;  we  will  all  go 
as  bats.     Shall  we  be  black  or  white  ?" 

"  Which  is  the  most  becoming  ?"  asked  Crescenz. 

"Becoming!  why,  child,  I  do  believe  you  don't  know 
what  I  mean.  A  bat  as  mask  means  a  domino  so  arranged 
that  one  cannot  see  even  the  form  of  the  head,  the  smallest 
lock  of  hair,  or  even  quite  know  whether  the  person  be  a 
man  or  woman." 

"  I  thought  we  should  have  had  something  pretty,"  said 
Crescenz,  disappointed,  "such  as  Grecian  costumes." 

"  You  may  dress  yourself  as  a  Greek  or  a  Turk,  if  you 
like,  but  you  may  be  recognised  and  tormented.  For  my 
part,  I  go  to  worry  others,  and  have  decided  on  a  black 
domino — a  complete  capuchin  ;  Mr.  Hamilton  and  Madame 
Lustig  the  same ;  you  and  Hildegarde  may  of  course  arrange 
as  you  please." 

p        w  29 


338  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Oh,  dear  !  I  am  afraid  Hildegarde  will  not  go  without 
asking  papa's  leave." 

"  Don't  say  a  word  more  about  the  matter  to  her ;  she  will 
think  we  have  forgotten  it,  and — when  papa  and  mamma  are 
gone,  I  will  come  and  arrange  everything." 

"  Oh,  dear,  how  nice !"  cried  Crescenz,  seating  herself 
confidentially  beside  her  friend,  but  a  moment  after  she 
sprang  up,  assumed  a  dignified  air,  and  walked  towards  the 
door. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  leave  us,  Cressy  ?"  exclaimed  Madame 
Berger,  suprised. 

"  I  am  going  to  tell  mamma  that  you  are  here,"  she  replied, 
stiffly. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  creature,  she  has  heard  from  Walburg  long 
ago.  She  is  engaged  with  the  children,  or  counting  linen, 
or  something  of  that  sort.  Stay  here  like  a  love,  and  play 
propriety." 

"  But  I  don't  choose  to  play  propriety,"  said  Crescenz, 
angrily,  as  she  left  the  room. 

Madame  Berger  looked  amazed  for  a  moment,  and  then 
burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter.  "  I  do  believe  the  child  is 
jealous  !"  she  exclaimed.  "  How  ridiculous  !  how  amusing  ! 
I  wish  it  were  Hildegarde — I  would  give — what  would  I  not 
give  to  make  her  jealous  for  half  an  hour!  It  would  be 
sublime !     Theodor  could  assist  me  if  he  chose." 

"  You  think  she  likes  him  ?"  said  Hamilton. 

"  He  says  not,  but  I  can  discover  no  other  person.  Can 
you  believe  that  she  cares  for  no  one?" 

"  She  cares  a  great  deal  for  her  father?"  answered  Ham- 
ilton. 

"  Ah,  bah — a  person  of  her  violent  temperament  must 
have  a  grande  passion  before  this  time." 

"  I  have  not  lately  seen  anything  like  violence,"  said 
Hamilton. 

"  A  certain  proof  that  she  is  desirous  of  pleasing  some 
one." 

"I  should  have  no  objection  to  be  the  person  she  is 
desirous  of  pleasing,"  said  Hamilton ;  "  she  is  perfectly 
amiable  with  her  father;  should  she  bestow  one  of  the  looks 
intended  for  him  upon  me,  I  confess  I  should  be " 

"  And  has  she  really  never  tried  to  make  you  say  civil 
things  to  her?"  asked  Madame  Berger,  quickly. 


A   BALL  AT  THE  MUSEUM  CLUB.  339 

"  On  the  contrary,  she  has  provoked  me  to  say  very  un- 
civil things  sometimes." 

"  And  so  you  have  been  obliged  to  amuse  yourself  with 
poor  simple  Crescenz  ?" 

"  Who,"  said  Hamilton,  "  is  the  most  innocent  being  in 
the  world — a  pretty  child " 

"  A  pretty  fool !"  cried  Madame  Berger,  "  but  let  us  talk 
of  our  masquerade — you  will  go  at  all  events  ?" 

"  Certainly." 

"  And  dressed  in  black — and  masked?" 

"  Agreed." 

"  You  have  no  idea  how  amusing  it  is  !  One  can  say  all 
sorts  of  impertinent  things — even  to  the  royal  family  when 
they  are  present.     Masks  are  allowed  perfect  impunity." 

"  But  should  you  be  discovered  afterwards  ?" 

"  I  shall  deny  knowing  anything  about  the  matter,  of 
course." 

Hamilton  had  not  time  to  reply  by  word  or  look,  for  at 
this  moment  supper  was  announced. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

A   BALL   AT   THE   MUSEUM   CLUB. 

"  I  hope  we  shall  have  no  visitors,"  said  Crescenz  the  next 
day,  after  having  examined  herself  for  some  time  attentively 
in  the  glass  which  was  between  the  windows  in  the  drawing- 
room.  "  I  hope  we  shall  have  no  visitors,  for  these  curl- 
papers are  certainly  not  becoming.  If  mamma  had  allowed, 
I  should  have  passed  the  day  in  my  own  room,  that  nobody 
might  see  them.  Don't  you  think  me  very  ugly  to-day?" 
she  added,  turning  to  Hamilton,  who,  as  usual,  was  close  to 
the  stove. 

"  You  are  not  ugly,  but  the  curl-papers  are,"  he  answered, 
looking  at  her  over  his  book. 

"  But  we  shall  look  so  well  with  long  curls  in  the  evening," 
she  said,  half  appealing  to  her  sister,  who  was  standing  at 
the  window  with  some  intricate  piece  of  work.  "  What  a 
pity  one  cannot  have  curls  without  curl-papers." 


340  THE  INITIALS. 

"  They  are  dearly  bought  if  you  are  obliged  to  wear  your 
hair  twisted  up  in  that  manner  all  day,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  I  thought  Englishwomen  very  often  had  long  curls." 

"  So  they  have — but  they  never  appear  in  a  drawing-room 
with  curl-papers." 

"  They  certainly  are  very  unbecoming,"  said  Crescenz,  again 
inspecting  herself  in  the  glass.  "  I  have  a  great  mind  to 
arrange  my  braids  again.  After  all,  my  hair  will  perhaps 
fall  out  of  curl  during  the  first  waltz.  You  know,  Hilde- 
garde,  at  the  examinations  I  was  obliged  to  fasten  up  the 
curls  with  a  comb  ?" 

"  Yes,  but  I  remember  the  curls  became  you  extremely " 

"  Hildegarde,"  whispered  Crescenz,  coming  close  to  her 
sister,  "  you  know  Mr.  Hamilton  cannot  go  to  the  ball,  and 
if  he  thinks  the  curl-papers  so  very  ugly " 

"  I  should  think  Major  Stultz's  opinion  of  more  conse- 
quence to  you,"  answered  Hildegarde ;  "  and,"  she  added 
loud  enough  to  be  heard,  "  you  know  if  Mr.  Hamilton  dis- 
like so  much  seeing  curl-papers,  he  has  only  to  avoid  looking 
at  us  for  the  remainder  of  the  day." 

Hamilton  closed  his  book,  looked  out  of  the  window  at  the 
thickly-falling  snow,  and  then  left  the  room.  Crescenz  im- 
mediately exclaimed,  "  Oh,  Hildegarde,  you  have  offended 
him  !     How  can  you  be  so  unkind  ?" 

"  Is  it  unkind  to  tell  him  not  to  look  at  us  for  a  few 
hours?"  Hildegarde  asked,  laughing. 

"  You  are  so  unnecessarily  rude  to  him  sometimes — yes- 
terday evening,  for  instance,  you  scarcely  answered  him  when 
he  spoke  to  you." 

"  Because  I  was  occupied  with  my  father.  I  hope  you 
have  no  objection  to  my  preferring  his  conversation  to  Mr. 
Hamilton's !" 

"  But  you  were  only  talking  about  the  opera  to  papa,  who 
would  have  been  very  glad  if  you  had  allowed  him  to  hear 
what  Mr.  Hamilton  was  telling  Lina  Berger  about  a  picnic 
party  on  the  Thames.  Lina  says  he  is  the  most  fascinating 
young  man  she  ever  met,  not  even  excepting  Theodor  Bieder' 
mann  !" 

"  And  Mr.  Hamilton  will  tell  you,  if  you  ask  him,  that 
Madame  Berger  is  the  most  fascinating  young  woman  he 
ever  met  with,  not  even  excepting  Crescenz  Rosenberg." 

"Oh,  dear;  I  forgot  to  tell  you  that  Major  Stultz  was 


A   BALL  AT  THE  MUSEUM   CLUB.  341 

quite  mistaken.  Lina  explained  everything  before  she  left 
yesterday  evening.  Mr.  Hamilton  only  went  to  hear  her 
play  waltzes !" 

Hildegarde  shook  her  head  incredulously. 

"  You  do  not  believe  her  ?" 

"  No." 

"  Well,  T  do ;  and  I  will  manage  to  find  out  from  Mr. 
Hamilton  the  whole  truth." 

"  Don't  attempt  anything  of  the  kind,  Crescenz  ;  you  will 
only  make  yourself  ridiculous." 

"  We  shall  see,"  said  Crescenz,  nodding  her  head  as  she 
left  the  room. 

When  she  returned  to  the  drawing-room  her  hair  was 
braided  in  the  usual  manner ;  and  she  rather  unwillingly 
confessed  that  she  had  seen  Hamilton,  who  had  said  that  he 
"  thought  braids  infinitely  more  becoming  than  curls  for 
young  and  pretty  persons  !" 

"  I  greatly  fear  Mr.  Hamilton  is  beginning  to  amuse  him- 
self again  at  your  expense,"  observed  Hildegarde,  with  some 
irritation. 

"  He  did  not  seem  to  be  amusing  himself;  he  spoke  quite 
gravely,  and  papa,  who  was  present,  agreed  with  him." 

Hildegarde's  hand  rose  to  her  head,  and  her  fingers  impa- 
tiently contracted  themselves  round  the  offending  curl-papers. 
"  If  I  had  known  that  papa  thought  so,  I  should  never  have 
curled  my  hair,  but  now  it  is  too  late ;  Mr.  Hamilton  will 
think  I  have  tried  to  please  him,  and " 

"  Oh,  dear,  no,"  cried  Crescenz  ;  "  he  did  not  seem  in  the 
least  to  think  I  had  braided  my  hair  to  please  him.  He 
was  talking  to  papa  about  religion  and  philosophy,  and  some 
acquaintances  of  the  name  of  Hegel  and  Schelling." 

Hildegarde  smiled.  "  If  they  were  talking  of  Hegel  and 
Schelling,  I  dare  say  he  has  forgotten  us  and  our  curls.  I 
could  not  possibly  think  of  sacrificing  my  ringlets  to  please 
Mm,  and  papa  I  shall  probably  not  see  until  evening." 

Hamilton  took  her  advice  more  literally  than  she  just  then 
wished :  he  remained  in  his  room  the  rest  of  the  day,  and 
thus  avoided  seeing  her  again.  She  felt  that  a  few  words 
spoken  in  a  moment  of  irritation  had  deprived  her  of  all 
chance  of  seeing  him  alone  for  a  few  minutes,  in  order  to 
induce  him  to  avoid  her  cousin,  and  go  the  ensuing  week  to 

the  Z 's ;  but  she  consoled  herself  by  thinking  that  at 

29* 


342  THE  INITIALS. 

least  they  were  not  likely  to  meet  during  that  evening,  as 
Raimund  had  not  been  invited  to  the  ball  at  Court,  and  was 
to  accompany  his  betrothed  to  the  Museum. 

As  soon  as  it  was  dusk,  the  sisters  disappeared.  Madame 
Rosenberg  in  vain  sent  to  request  they  would  come  to  supper. 
They  were  not  hungry.  They  could  not  eat,  "  Quite  natu- 
ral !"  observed  their  father,  helping  himself  to  some  salmi 
and  cold  turkey.  "  Quite  natural !  Who  ever  heard  of  a 
girl  eating  before  she  went  to  her  first  ball  ?  I  suppose, 
however,  they  will  soon  be  dressed  ;  so  I  think,  Babette.  you 
might  now  put  on  your  own  brown  silk  dress  and  pink  tur- 
ban ;  it  would  be  a  pity  if  they  were  to  lose  a  dance  !  Mr. 
Hamilton  has  offered  to  leave  us  at  the  Museum,  on  his  way 
to  the  palace." 

Madame  Rosenberg  poured  out  a  glass  of  beer,  drank  it 
quickly,  and  left  the  room.  A  few  minutes  afterwards, 
Hildegarde  and  her  sister  entered,  in  all  the  charms  of  youth 
and  white  muslin.  "Is  she  not  beautiful?"  exclaimed  Cre- 
scenz,  for  a  moment  forgetting  herself  in  her  admiration  of 
her  sister.  "  Is  she  not  beautiful  ?  Ah,  I  knew  you  would 
admire  curls,"  she  added  as  a  sort  of  reply  to  Hamilton's 
look  of  most  genuine  admiration.  "  Curls  are  prettier  than 
braids  after  all !"  She  drew  her  hand,  as  she  spoke,  over 
her  smooth,  shining  hair,  and  glanced  regretfully  towards 
the  looking-glass. 

Hildegarde  turned  from  Hamilton  with  a  slightly  con- 
scious blush.  Never  had  he  seen  or  imagined  anyone  so 
lovely  as  she  appeared  to  him  at  that  moment.  The  long, 
waving  ringlets  of  her  rich  brown  hair  relieved  the  slightly 
severe  expression  of  her  almost  too  regular  features,  while 
her  beautifully-formed  figure,  seen  to  advantage  in  her  light 
ball-dress,  attracted  equally  by  its  roundness  and  delicacy. 
Had  Hamilton  seen  her  for  the  first  time  that  evening,  he 
would  have  been  captivated.  When  we,  however,  remem- 
ber that  she  had  been  for  months  the  object  of  his  first  love, 
that  he  had  resided  in  the  same  house,  and  had  had  oppor- 
tunities of  knowing  and  judging  her  by  no  means  common- 
place ideas,  as  they  had  studied  together,  and  that  he  was  at 
a  time  of  life  when  the  feelings  are  most  impetuous,  we  may 
form  some  idea  of  the  emotion  which,  for  some  minutes, 
deprived  him  of  the  power  of  utterance.  Hildegarde  was 
so  perfectly   independent  in    thought  and   action ;    she   re- 


A  BALL  AT  THE  MUSEUM  CLUB.  343 

quired  so  little  of  that  protection  which  her  sex  usually 
seek,  that  had  she  not  been  eminently  handsome,  she  would 
probably  have  found  more  people  disposed  to  admire  her 
character  than  love  her  person.  Men  especially  do  not  often 
bestow  affection  on  such  women ;  but,  when  they  do,  it  is 
with  a  degree  of  passion  which  they  seldom  or  never  feel 
for  the  more  gentle  or  weaker  of  the  sex.  And  so,  irre< 
sistibly  attracted  by  her  beauty,  and  perhaps  hoping  to  find 
feelings  as  strong  as  her  mind,  three  men  now  loved  her 
with  characteristic  fervour ;  her  cousin,  with  an  intensity 
bordering  on  insanity ;  Zedwitz  with  the  glowing  steadiness 
of  his  disposition  and  years,  and  Hamilton  with  all  the 
ardour  of  extreme  youth. 

"  I  thought  Hildegarde  would  have  worn  one  of  my 
bracelets  this  evening,"  said  Crescenz.  "  I  offered  her  the 
choice  of  them  all !" 

"That  was  very  kind  of  you,  Crescenz,"  said  her  father, 
"  but  Hildegarde  does  not  care  for  ornaments  of  that 
kind." 

"  But  look  at  that  ugly  little  hair-bracelet  which  she  in- 
sists upon  wearing,"  said  Crescenz,  laughing.  "  If  she  had 
bracelets  of  her  own,  she  would  wear  them,  I  am  sure. 
Everyone  must  like  bracelets  I" 

Mr.  Rosenberg  took  Hildegarde's  hand,  and  raised  her 
passive  arm  towards  his  eyes,  in  order  to  inspect  the  bracelet. 
"  It  is  not  ugly,  nor  ill  chosen  either,"  he  observed,  smiling ; 
"  a  black  bracelet  makes  an  arm  look  fairer  still ;  but  I  own 
I  did  not  think  my  treasure  studied  such  things !" 

Hildegarde,  with  a  look  of  annoyance,  hastily  unclasped 
the  bracelet,  and  threw  it  into  her  work-basket. 

"  Don't  be  offended,  Hildegarde.  Every  woman  should 
endeavour  to  improve  her  appearance  as  much  as  possible. 
Your  arm  is  round  and  white,  and  the  bracelet  pretty ;  it 
ought,  perhaps,  to  have  been  a  little  broader,  but  the  horse- 
hair was  scarce,  it  seems  1  However,  you  can  wear  it  very 
creditably ;  at  a  little  distance,  people  will  think  it  the  hair 
of  some  very  dear  friend  !" 

Madame  Rosenberg  made  her  appearance  at  this  moment, 
in  a  state  of  ludicrous  distress  ;  she  had  tried  to  force  her 
large  hands  into  a  pair  of  small  French  gloves.  One,  from 
its  elasticity,  had  been  drawn  somewhat  over  the  half  of  one 
hand,  leaving  the  other  half  and  the  wrist  quite  bare ;  but 


344  THE  INITIALS. 

the  other  had  burst  asunder  across  the  palm,  and  she  now 
held  it  towards  her  husband,  with  a  look  of  mock  despair. 

"  Try  another  and  a  larger  pair,"  he  said,  laughing. 

"  I  have  not  another  pair  in  the  house.  You  know  I 
never  want  white  gloves,  and  I  was  obliged  to  send  to 
Schultz  for  these,  after  I  had  begun  to  dress !" 

"  Oh,  I  can  mend  it  in  a  moment,"  cried  Crescenz,  bring- 
ing a  needle  and  thread.  "  Only  keep  it  on  your  hand — it 
will  never  do  if  you  pull  it  off  again." 

Hamilton  had  in  the  meantime  been  playing  with  the  dis- 
carded bracelet ;  Hildegarde  attempted  to  take  it  out  of  his 
hand,  but  he  held  it  nearer  the  light,  observing  in  a  low  voice, 
"  This  is  not  horse  hair.  It  cannot  be  your  father's  or  your  sis- 
ter's, for  they  have  brown  hair ;  nor  your  cousin's  ;  nor " 

"  Give  me  my  bracelet,"  said  Hildegarde,  impatiently.  He 
held  it  towards  her  with  both  hands,  and  a  look  of  pretended 
alarm.  She  half  smiled,  and  extended  her  arm,  while  with 
a  degree  of  trepidation  which  he  in  vain  endeavoured  to 
overcome,  he  placed  the  tongue  in  the  serpent's  head  which 
formed  the  clasp.  When  he  looked  up  her  head  was  averted, 
and  she  was  jesting  with  her  father  about  her  chance  of  find- 
ing partners  or  being  left  sitting. 

"  Pray,  keep  one  waltz  or  galop  in  reserve  for  me,"  cried 
Hamilton.  "  I  shall  be  at  the  Museum  between  ten  and 
eleven  o'clock." 

Hildegarde  murmured  a  sort  of  assent,  but  the  expression 
of  her  countenance  denoted  anything  but  satisfaction.  She 
became  grave  and  thoughtful.  It  was  impossible  not  to  per- 
ceive the  change,  and  with  ill-concealed  mortification  Hamil- 
ton turned  to  her  father :  "  Your  daughter  does  not  know, 
perhaps,  that  I  have  learned  to  waltz  since  I  came  here.  I 
am  no  longer  a  bad  dancer." 

"  Oh,  dear !  I  always  thought  you  danced  extremely  well," 
said  Crescenz. 

"  I  may  depend  upon  your  keeping  a  waltz  free  for  me ;  if 
Major  Stultz  will  permit  it." 

"  Oh,  yes ;  that  is,"  said  Crescenz,  correcting  herself,  "  if 
you  can  remember  your  engagement  with  me  when  Lina 
Berger  is  present." 

"  Madame  Berger  has  no  influence  whatever  upon  my 
memory." 

"  No,  but  upon  your  heart " 


A  BALL  AT  THE  MUSEUM  CLUB.  345 

"  None  whatever.  She  is  very  pretty,  very  amusing,  very 
flattering,  everything  you  please  but  lovable." 

"  Well,  if  she  only  heard  you  say  that !"  began  Crescenz. 

"  The  carriage  has  been  at  the  door  this  long  time,"  cried 
Madame  Rosenberg,  tying  a  large  handkerchief  over  her  ears 
and  pink  turban.     "  Let  us  be  off." 

Crescenz  touched  her  sister's  hand,  and  whispered  :  "  You 
see,  dear,  I  was  right." 

Hildegarde  bent  her  head,  but  did  not  speak. 

Hamilton  heard,  saw,  but  only  partly  understood.  Had 
Hildegarde  been  jealous ! 

The  ball  at  Court  was  not  in  the  least  less  brilliant  than 
any  of  the  preceding,  but  Hamilton  was  not  disposed  to 
admire  the  rooms,  or  the  fresco  paintings,  or  the  candelabra, 
or  even  his  own  form  in  the  long  glass,  placed  so  conveniently 
at  the  door  of  one  of  the  reception-rooms.  Figures  in  blue 
and  pink  crape  passed  and  repassed  him  scarcely  observed,  so 
completely  had  a  form  in  white,  with  a  wreath  of  roses  in 
her  hair,  taken  possession  of  his  imagination.  His  abstrac- 
tion attracted  even  the  notice  of  royalty,  and  it  was  with 
a  deep  blush  that  Hamilton  stammered  some  excuse  when 
asked  why  he  did  not  dance  as  usual. 

At  ten  o'clock  he  withdrew,  bounded  down  the  stairs  which 
he  had  thought  so  tiresome  to  mount  a  couple  of  hours  be- 
fore, found  his  carriage  waiting,  and  drove  to  the  Museum. 
The  contrast  was  great,  but  he  heeded  it  not ;  Hildegarde 
was  every  thing  to  him.  He  glanced  quickly  round  the  room, 
and  immediately  discovered  the  object  of  his  search  walking 
composedly  towards  the  dancers  with  a  tall  officer  in  the 
Guards  ;  he  was  about  to  leave  the  room  again  in  a  fit  of  un- 
controllable irritation,  when  he  remembered  his  engagement 
with  Crescenz.  The  moment  she  saw  him,  she  spoke  a  few 
words  eagerly  to  Major  Stultz,  smiled,  and  then  walked  a  step 
or  two  towards  him.  "  I  knew  you  would  come,"  she  said 
with  evident  pleasure,  and  showing  her  little  ball-book  ;  "  see, 
you  were  written  for  two  dances,  that  I  might  be  quite  sure 
of  being  disengaged." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Hamilton ;  "  you  are  very  kind.  I 
can  remain  but  one  hour,  and  as  your  sister  seems  to  have 
forgotten  her  engagement  with  me,  perhaps  you  will  give  me 
the  second  waltz  also  !" 

"  Oh,  I  dare  not ;  Major  Stultz  will  never  consent.     I  am 


346  THE  INITIALS. 

sure  I  wish  he  would  go  home,  he  is  so  sleepy  already.  But," 
she  added  after  a  pause,  "  I  am  quite  sure  that  Hildegarde 
will  dance  with  you." 

In  the  course  of  the  dance,  Hildegarde  and  her  partner 
came  close  beside  them.  Hamilton  at  first  pretended  not  to 
observe  it,  but  Crescenz  naturally  spoke  to  her  sister. 

"  Mr.  Hamilton  fancies  you  will  not  dance  with  him,  but 
I  am  sure  he  is  mistaken  ;  he  says  he  cannot  remain  more 
than  an  hour,  so  you  must  promise  him  the  next  waltz  or 
galop,  whichever  it  may  be." 

"  If  he  really  wish  it,"  said  Hildegarde  ;  "  but  he  looks  so 
very  seriously  English  to-night,  that  if  I  were  to  propose 
dancing  with  him,  I  am  sure  he  will  say  no !" 

"  Try  me,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  or  rather  write  my  name  in 
your  book,  that  I  may  be  sure  you  are  in  earnest." 

"  You  must  not  trust  to  my  memory,  for  I  have  neither 
ball-book  nor  tablets.  I  have  no  one,"  she  added,  looking 
archly  toward  her  sister,  "  I  have  no  one  to  supply  me  with 
ball-books  and  bouquets,"  and  she  bent  her  head  over  her 
sister's  hand,  which  could  scarcely  clasp  the  geraniums,  helio- 
tropes, and  China  roses  with  which  it  was  filled. 

A  moment  after,  she  had  joined  the  dancers,  and  Hamil- 
ton stood  thoughtfully  beside  his  partner. 

"  Do  you  not  admire  my  bouquet  ?"  she  asked,  holding  it 
coquettishly  towards  him. 

"  Exceedingly  ;  for  the  time  of  year  it  is  beautiful." 

"  Major  Stultz  waited  at  the  door  to  give  it  to  me.  It  was 
an  attention  I  never  expected  from  him." 

"  Why  not?"  asked  Hamilton,  absently. 

"  Oh,  because  he  was  so  many  years  a  soldier  and  in  the 
wars,  and  in  Russia,  and  all  that.  I  thought  it  was  only 
young — a — a — persons — with  whom  one  danced — who  gave 
bouquets." 

"  Very  true,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing,  "  and  it  is  disgrace- 
fully negligent  of  young — a — persons  to  forget  such  things 
sometimes." 

"  I  assure  you,"  stammered  Crescenz,  "  I  did  not  mean — I 
did  not  think " 

"  I  know  you  did  not,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  He  knows  you  never  think,  my  dear,"  said  Madame 
Berger,  who  had  overheard  the  last  words  when  taking  the 
place  behind  them. 


A   BALL  AT   THE  MUSEUM  CLUB.  347 

"  She  never  thinks  or  says  anything  unkind,"  said  Hamil- 
ton, warmly. 

Madame  Berger  looked  up  saucily,  and  then  turned  to  her 
partner,  a  gay  student,  to  listen  to  some  nonsense  about  her 
long  blonde  ringlets. 

"  Lina  is  angry  that  you  have  not  asked  her  to  dance," 
said  Crescenz,  as  she  returned  to  join  her  mother.  "  Suppose 
you  were  to  waltz  with  her  next  time ;  I  know  Hildegarde 
will  not  be  in  the  least  offended." 

Hamilton  shook  his  head.  "  I  am  not  so  much  afraid  of 
giving  offence  as  you  are ;  besides,  you  may  be  mistaken." 

"  No,"  said  Crescenz, "  I  am  sure  I  am  right,  for  I  remem- 
ber her  sayiug  she  would  keep  a  waltz  for  you,  and  you  said 
you  could  not  come  at  all.  Oh,  I  remember  it,  for  I  was  so 
sorry  when  you  said  so,  that  I  did  not  care  at  all  for  the  ball, 
or  my  new  dress,  or " 

Hamilton  unconsciously  pressed  Crescenz's  hands,  her 
heightened  colour  immediately  reprimanded  him  for  his  im- 
prudence, and  he  turned  to  Madame  Rosenberg,  and  asked 
her  how  she  liked  playing  chaperon  ? 

"  Better  a  great  deal  than  I  expected,"  she  answered,  laugh- 
ing ;  and  then  lowering  her  voice,  she  added,  "  our  girls  are 
certainly  very  pretty  ;  you  have  no  idea  how  civil  all  the  men 
are  to  me  on  their  account.  Franz  is  enjoying  a  sort  of 
triumph  to-night,  but  the  Major  is  not  quite  satisfied;  he 
says  the  young  officers  have  been  talking  nonsense  to  Cre- 
scenz, for  she  has  been  blushing  every  moment.  Now,  I  have 
told  him  a  hundred  times  it  is  from  the  heat  of  the  room  and 
the  exertion  of  dancing.  It  would  be  better  if  he  would  go 
down  to  the  club-room  and  smoke  his  pipe  ;  he  cannot  expect 
the  child  to  sit  beside  him  all  the  evening  as  she  does  at  home. 
She  has  very  properly  done  her  duty,  and  already  danced 
twice  with  him,  and  more  he  cannot  require.  He  has  no  sort 
of  tact,  the  Major.  Fancy  his  wanting  her  to  fix  her  wed- 
ding-day just  now,  when  she  is  thinking  of  anything  in  the 
world  but  her  marriage.  I  never  knew  anything  in  the  world 
so  injudicious." 

Poor  Crescenz  had  been  condemned  to  a  place  between  her 
mother  and  Major  Stultz.  Hildegarde  had  emancipated  her- 
self completely  ;  she  hung  on  her  proud  father's  arm,  walked 
about  the  rooms,  and  talked  unrestrainedly.  Hamilton  had 
to  seek  her  when  the  music  again  commenced ;  she  left  her 


348  THE  INITIALS. 

father  directly,  and  walked  towards  the  dancing-room,  but 
scarcely  had  she  entered  it  when  Count  Raimund  approached, 
exclaiming,  "  Where  are  you  going,  Hildegarde?  do  not  for- 
get that  this  galop  is  mine." 

"  No,  Oscar,  it  was  the  second  that  I  promised  you." 

"  That  cannot  be,  Hildegarde,  for  I  am  engaged  to  dance 
it  with  a— Marie.  I  believe — I  am  quite  certain — you 
promised  me  this  one." 

"  And  I  am  quite  sure,  Oscar,  that  you  are  mistaken. 
Quite  sure!"  began  Hildegarde,  with  her  usual  decision  of 
manner,  but  the  angry  expression  of  her  cousin's  counte- 
nance made  her  hesitate.  "  Perhaps,  however,"  she  added, 
looking  from  one  to  the  other,  "  perhaps,  as  Mr.  Hamilton  is 
an  Englishman,  and  does  not  care  about  dancing,  he  will  be 
rather  pleased  than  otherwise  in  being  released  from  what  he 
probably  considered  a  duty  dance." 

"  By  no  means,"  said  Hamilton,  firmly  holding  the  hand 
which  she  endeavoured  to  withdraw,  "  I  am  not  so  indifferent 
as  you  seem  to  imagine.  You  have  promised  to  dance  with 
me,  and  I  am  not  disposed  to  release  you  from  your  engage- 
ment." 

"  Nor  I,  either,"  said  Count  Raimund,  while  the  blood 
mounted  to  his  temples,  and  was  even  visible  under  the  roots 
of  his  fair  hair. 

"  You  think,  perhaps,  I  ought  to  feel  flattered,"  said 
Hildegarde,  scornfully,  "  but  I  do  not— on  the  contrary  I 
think  you  both,  I  mean  to  say — Oscar  extremely  disagree- 
able. I  shall  not  dance  with  either  of  you,"  she  added, 
seating  herself  on  a  bench,  and  beginning  to  tap  her  foot 
impatiently  on  the  floor.  The  two  young  men  placed  them- 
selves on  either  side  of  her. 

"  I  hope,"  she  said,  turning  to  Count  Raimund,  "  I  hope 
you  are  satisfied,  now  that  you  have  deprived  me  of  the 
pleasure  of  dancing  a  galop,  to  which  I  have  been  looking 
forward  for  the  last  half  hour?" 

"  My  satisfaction  depends  entirely  on  who  the  person  may 
be  with  whom  you  anticipated  so  much  pleasure  in  dancing." 

"  You  know  perfectly  well  that  I  was  not  engaged  to  you, 
and  did  not  think  of  you." 

Count  Raimund  played  with  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  which 
he  had  laid  on  the  form  beside  him. 

"  Oscar,"  continued   Hildegarde,  after  a  pause,  in  a  low 


A  BALL  AT  THE  MUSEUM  CLUB.  349 

voice,  "  don't  be  so  unjust,  so  tyrannical  as  to  deprive  me  of 
my  galop.  Choose  somebody  else.  See,  there  is  Marie  still 
disengaged — go  quickly,  before  anyone  else  can " 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Raimund,  interrupting  her  ;  "  you  are 
very  kind,  but  I  have  no  inclination  whatever  that  way. 
Marie  may  be  very  good  for  household  purposes,  but  I  must 
say  I  rejoice  in  the  idea  that  our  marriage  will  free  me  from 
these  ball-room  duties  towards  a  person  I  have  scarcely 
learned  to  tolerate.  In  fact,  I  believe  I  detest  her,  so  has 
she  been  forced  upon  me  !" 

"  Oscar,  Oscar — take  care  !  Do  not  speak  so  loud.  What 
would  people  think  of  you,  were  you  to  be  heard  ?  Someone 
may  tell  Marie,  and  make  her  repent  her  disinterested  con- 
duct towards  you — she  does  not  deserve  to  be  made  unhappy, 
especially  by  you  ?" 

"  What  did  you  say,  sir  ?"  cried  Raimund,  speaking 
angrily,  across  Hildegarde  to  Hamilton. 

"  I  have  not  had  time  to  say  anything,"  he  replied,  laugh- 
ing. 

"  But  you  looked  as  if  you  agreed  with  my  cousin?" 

"  My  looks  are  expressive,  it  seems,"  said  Hamilton, 
coolly. 

"  Perhaps  you  intend  to  inform  my  betrothed  of  what  I 
have  just  now  said?"  cried  Raimund,  still  more  angrily. 

"  My  acquaintance  with  her  is  of  too  recent  a  date  to 
admit  of  my  doing  so." 

"  Do  you  mean  deliberately  to  insult  me?"  asked  Raimund, 
in  a  voice  of  suppressed  rage. 

"  No,  Oscar,"  cried  Hildegarde,  laying  her  hand  hastily  on 
his  arm.  "  It  is  you  who  are  endeavouring  to  commence  a 
quarrel  with  Mr.  Hamilton.  You  feel  that  you  are  in  the 
wrong,  and  that  you  ought  not  to  have  made  such  a  remark 
in  public  of  a  person  to  whom  you  are  to  be  married  in  less 
than  a  week." 

"  You  may  say  what  you  please  to  me,  Hildegarde,  but 
neither  Mr.  Hamilton  nor  anyone  else  shall  dare  by  word  or 
look  to  imply " 

Hamilton  turned  away  with  a  smile  of  unequivocal  con- 
tempt. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  sir?"  cried  Raimund,  starting  from 
his  seat,  and  facing  him  while  he  folded  his  arms. 

"  I  mean  that  this  is  no  place  for  such  words — still  less  for 
30 


350  THE  INITIALS. 

such  gestures,"  replied  Hamilton,  glancing  round  him.  The 
loudness  of  the  music,  however,  had  prevented  them  from 
being  heard. 

':  Oscar,"  cried  Hildegarde,  vehemently,  "  sit  down  beside 
mc.  Listen  to  me — you  must  listen  to  me.  You  are  alto- 
gether in  the  wrong — you  are  rude  and  irritating,  and  ought 
to  be  ashamed  of  yourself.  Do  not  try  Mr.  Hamilton's  pa- 
tience further." 

"  I  have  no  intention  of  doing  so,"  said  Raimund,  biting 
his  lip,  and  frowning  fearfully. 

Hildegarde  looked  anxiously,  first  on  her  cousin  and  then 
at  Hamilton,  to  whom  she  said  in  a  low  voice :  "  I  don't 
know  which  is  most  to  be  feared,  your  coolness — or  Oscar's 
ungovernable  temper !  But  this  I  have  determined,  that 
neither  shall  stir  from  this  place  until  a  reconciliation  has 
taken  place.  You,  Oscar,  are  bound  to  apologise  for  your 
unprovoked  rudeness,  and " 

"  Ha,  ha  !"  laughed  Raimund.  "  You  are  a  most  excellent 
mediatrix,  my  charming  cousin,  but  believe  me,  explanations 
are  better  avoided.  See,  we  have  already  forgotten  the 
whole  affair." 

Hildegarde  looked  uneasily  towards  Hamilton,  he  appeared 
to  be  intently  watching  the  dancers  as  they  flew  past  him. 

"  It  is  useless  your  trying  to  deceive  me,"  she  began,  once 
more  turning  to  Raimund  ;  but  he  immediately  interrupted 
her  by  saying,  "  Pray,  is  all  this  unnecessary  anxiety  on  my 
account,  or — on  his?" 

"  My  anxiety  is  divided.  Surely,"  she  continued,  almost 
in  a  whisper,  "  you  will  not  be  so  foolish  as  to  commence  a 
quarrel  in  this  unreasonable  manner?  What  will  Marie  and 
her  mother  think,  should  they  hear  of  it  ?  What  right  had 
you  to  ask  for  an  explanation  of  Mr.  Hamilton's  looks? 
You  are  seeking  a  quarrel,  and  do  you  think  by  acting  in 
tins  manner  you  are  likely  to  increase  my  regard  for  you  ? 
Oh,  Oscar  !  have  you  forgotten  what  you  said  about  a  double 

crime "     The  music  played  loudly,  and  Hildegarde  bent 

towards  her  cousin,  and  continued  to  speak  for  some  time. 
Raimund's  countenance  cleared  by  degrees,  he  raised  his  eyes 
to  her  face  with  an  expression  of  undisguised  admiration  and 
love,  and  then  whispered  an  answer,  which  made  her  blush 
and  turn  away. 

"  You  know  your  influence  with  me  is  unbounded.    On  this 


A  BALL  AT  THE  MUSEUM  CLUB.  351 

condition  I  will  do  or  say  whatever  you  please,"  he  added, 
endeavouring  to  catch  her  eye. 

"  It  is  ungenerous  of  you  to  take  advantage  of  my  fears," 
said  Hildegarde,  rising. 

Hamilton  asked  her  if  she  wished  to  return  to  her  father  ; 
she  seemed  scarcely  to  hear  him,  appearing  lost  in  thought 
for  some  moments.  She  again  consulted  the  countenance 
of  her  two  companions,  again  became  anxious,  and  finally 
turning  to  Raimund,  said,  with  some  embarrassment,  "  After 
all,  it  is  not  worth  talking  so  much  about — I  accept  the  con- 
dition— perform  your  promise." 

"Time  and  place  to  be  chosen  by  me?"  said  Raimund, 
loud  and  eagerly. 

"  Do  not  make  any  more  conditions,"  cried  Hildegarde, 
impatiently,  "  but  perform  your  promise  at  once." 

"  This  must  be  understood,"  said  Raimund,  "  or  else " 

Hamilton  felt  himself  growing  very  angry ;  he  turned  to 
leave  them,  when  Count  Raimund  called  him  back :  "  Mr. 
Hamilton,  a  moment,  if  you  please.  Hildegarde  has  con- 
vinced me  that  I  have  been  altogether  in  the  wrong  just  now. 
If  I  have  offended  you,  I  am  sorry  for  it ;  I  hope  you  do  not 
expect  me  to  say  more !" 

"  I  did  not  expect  you  to  say  so  much,"  replied  Hamilton, 
coldly. 

A  sudden  flush  once  more  overspread  Raimund's  face,  an 
internal  struggle  seemed  to  take  place,  but  after  a  glance 
towards  Hildegarde,  he  said  calmly,  "  If  I  did  not  feel  that 
I  had  been  the  aggressor,  not  even  the  offered  bribe  could 
have  induced  me  to  apologise." 

"  Bribe — offered !"  exclaimed  Hildegarde,  almost  indig- 
nantly. 

"  No,  not  offered.  Favour  conceded,  if  you  like  it  better 
— we  will  not  dispute  about  words.  Mr.  Hamilton,  my 
cousin  is  free,  and  can  dance  when  she  pleases." 

"  I  imagine  she  could  have  done  so  before,  had  she  wished 
it,"  said  Hamilton,  haughtily. 

Raimund  walked  away  as  if  he  had  not  heard  him,  and 
buckled  on  his  sword  with  an  air  of  perfect  satisfaction. 

Hamilton  stood  by  Hildegarde  as  if  he  were  turned  to  stone. 
The  words  which  had  been  so  mysteriously  spoken  seemed  to 
have  completely  petrified  him.  Hildegarde,  too,  stood  im- 
movable for  a  minute,  and  then  turned  as  if  to  leave  him. 


352  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Do  you  not  wish  to  dance?"  asked  Hamilton,  in  a  con- 
strained voice. 

"  No — I  mean  yes — yes,  of  course,"  she  replied,  moving 
mechanically  towards  the  dancers. 

Hamilton's  feelings  at  this  moment  would  be  difficult  to  de- 
fine. As  he  put  his  arm  round  her  slight  figure,  intense  hatred 
was  perhaps,  for  the  instant,  predominant — he  was  in  such  a 
state  of  angry  excitement  that  he  had  gone  quite  round  the 
room  before  he  perceived  that  he  was  actually  carrying 
Hildegarde,  who  was  entreating  him  to  stop. 

"  Get  me  a  glass  of  water,"  she  said,  moving  unsteadily 
towards  the  refreshment-room,  and  sinking  on  a  chair  behind 
the  door.  She  had  become  deadly  pale,  and  was  evidently 
suffering,  but  seemed  determined  to  conquer  the  unusual 
weakness  which  threatened  to  overcome  her. 

When  Hamilton  again  stood  by  her,  he  no  longer  felt 
angry ;  bending  towards  her  he  whispered,  "  If  you  repent 
any  hasty  promise  which  you  may  have  made  to  your  cousin, 
I  shall  be  happy  to  be  the  bearer  of  any  message  or  explana- 
tion." 

"  Repent !"  murmured  Hildegarde,  "  no  ;  I  have  promised, 
and  I  don't  repent ;  but  you — you  must  not  speak  any  more 
this  evening  to  Oscar ;  he  has  apologised  for  his  rudeness, 
and  I  know  you  are  too  generous  ever  to  refer  to  the  subject 
again." 

u  But  he  spoke  of  some  bribe— some  favour,"  began 
Hamilton. 

"  That  is  my  affair,  and  not  yours,"  replied  Hildegarde. 
rising  as  the  dancers  began  to  pour  into  the  room.  "  And 
now  take  me  to  my  father.  After  all,"  she  added,  forcing  a 
smile,  "  I  believe  I  have  wasted  a  great  deal  of  genuine 
alarm  on  a  pair  of  very  worthless  young  men." 

"  So  it  was  not  repentance  about  this  promised  favour,  but 
anxiety  about  us,  which  has  nearly  caused  you  to  faint  ?" 

"  Just  so — my  fears  perhaps  magnified  the  danger — but 
there  was  danger,  more  than  you  were  aware  of.  Avoid  my 
cousin,"  she  added,  earnestly,  "  he  is  reckless  now,  but  I  trust 
better  times  are  in  store  for  him."  Though  still  fearfully 
pale,  she  walked  steadily  towards  the  end  of  the  room  where 
her  father  and  mother  were  standing. 

Raimund  saw  Hamilton  leaving  the  room  a  few  minutes 
afterwards,  with  hasty  steps  and  a  disturbed  countenance. 


A  DAY  OF  FREEDOM.  353 

He  looked  after  him  and  observed,  with  a  sarcastic  smile,  to 
an  acquaintance  who  was  near  him,  "  I  have  spoiled  that 
Englishman's  supper;  he  is  not  likely  to  enjoy  his  pat6  de 
foie  gras  or  champagne  under  the  orange-trees  at  Court  to- 
night !" 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

A   DAY   OF   FREEDOM. 


Some  days  passed  over  remarkably  tranquilly.  Crescenz's 
marriage  was  to  take  place  in  a  fortnight,  and  she  and 
Hildegarde  had  promised  to  be  bridesmaids  to  Marie  de 
Hoffmann  the  beginning  of  the  ensuing  week.  Hildegarde 
made  no  further  effort  to  warn  Hamilton  about  her  cousin ; 
perhaps  she  now  deemed  it  unnecessary,  as  the  young  men 
openly  showed  their  mutual  antipathy,  and  avoided  even  the 
most  formal  intercourse. 

One  fine  afternoon,  when  Hamilton  was  about  to  drive  out 
in  his  sledge,  he  perceived  Crescenz  hovering  about  him  mys- 
teriously. Major  Stultz,  who  was  in  the  room,  seemed  to 
embarrass  her,  but  at  length  she  murmured,  in  French,  "  I 
have  something  to  say  to  you." 

"  I  have  been  aware  of  it  for  the  last  half  hour,  and  have 
remained  here  on  purpose  to  hear  it,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  You  always  forget  that  Mr.  Hamilton  speaks  German 
perfectly  well,  Crescenz,"  observed  Major  Stultz.  "  I  take 
it  for  granted  you  have  no  secret  from  me !" 

"  Oh,  dear,  no,"  said  Crescenz,  with  a  slight  laugh,  "  I 
always  speak  French  when  I  am  not  thinking  of  anything  in 
particular.  You  know  for  many  years  I  never  spoke  any 
other  language ;"  and  while  she  spoke,  she  carelessly  upset 
her  work-basket,  the  contents  of  which  rolled  in  all  direc- 
tions on  the  painted  floor. 

"  Dear  me  !  How  awkward  I  am  !"  she  exclaimed,  half 
laughing,  while  Major  Stultz,  with  evident  difficulty,  began 
to  pick  up  the  dispersed  articles.  "  My  scarlet  wool  is  behind 
the  sofa ;  Mr.  Hamilton,  will  you  be  so  kind " 

Hamilton  moved  the  sofa.  There  was  no  scarlet  wool, 
x  30* 


354  THE  INITIALS. 

but  a  slip  of  paper  dropped  from  Crescenz's  hand ;  he  iin- 
mediately  took  possession  of  it,  and  her  eyes  sparkled  with 
pleasure.  "  Thank  you,  thank  you,  I  believe  I  have  every- 
thing now.  Oh,  by-the-by,  Mr.  Hamilton,  if  you  have  time, 
I  wish  you  would  call  on  Lina  Berger,  and  ask  her  why  she 
has  not  been  here  since  the  ball  ?" 

Hamilton  hesitated. 

"  Tell  her  my  wedding-day  is  fixed,  and  I  want  to  consult 
her  about  my  veil.     You  will  go  to  her,  I  hope  ?" 

"  If — you — wish  it — but " 

"  No  buts,  I  hate  buts,"  said  Crescenz,  laughing,  and  then 
making  an  inexplicable  grimace  to  him  apart. 

When  out  of  the  room,  he  inspected  the  slip  of  paper,  on 
which  was  written  in  French : 

"  You  have  offended  Lina  Berger  by  not  dancing  with  her. 
Make  up  your  quarrel  as  fast  as  you  can,  or  we  shall  lose  all 
chance  of  going  to  the  masquerade." 

"  I  had  forgotten  all  about  the  masquerade,"  thought 
Hamilton,  "  and  must  make  my  peace  directly  with  the 
little  person.  She  shall  drive  out  with  me  this  very  day  to 
arrange  matters.  Fortunately,  she  has  said  at  least  half  a 
dozen  times  that  she  likes  sledging — I  ought  to  have  taken 
the  hint  Ions  aso " 


What  his  excuses  were  is  not  recorded — they  did  not  seem 
to  interest  him  particularly,  as  only  the  result  is  known. 
Madame  Berger  drove  out  in  his  sledge,  the  party  was 
arranged,  and  the  next  morning,  at  breakfast,  a  note  was 
brought  to  Madame  Rosenberg,  offering  Dr.  Berger's  carriage 
and  horses  for  the  day  of  the  masquerade. 

"  How  good-natured  of  Lina  to  remember  that  I  wished 
to  see  my  father  and  introduce  the  Major  to  him,"  she 
exclaimed,  handing  the  neatly-written  note  to  her  husband  ; 
"  I  would  rather  it  had  been  any  other  day  than  Monday, 
as  you  know  Mademoiselle  de  Hoffmann's  marriage  is  to 
take  place  on  Tuesday,  and  it  will  be  disagreeable  return- 
ing home  so  early  the  next  day ;  however,  that  cannot  be 
avoided." 

"  Easily  enough,  I  should  think,"  observed  Mr.  Rosen- 
berg, quietly ;  "  Mr.  Hamilton  has  often  proposed  lending 
us  his  horses,  and  all  days  are  alike  to  him,  I  know." 

Before  Hamilton  could  answer,  Madame  Rosenberg  ex- 
claimed, "  His  horses  ?     Not  for  any  consideration   in  the 


A   DAY  OF  FREEDOM.  355 

world !     Besides,  his  sledge  is  only  for  two  persons  and  a 
servant,  and  I  wish  to  take  the  boys  and  the  Major  with  us." 

"  In  that  case,  I  think  we  had  better  take  a  job  carriage 
for  a  day  and  a  half." 

"  No  use  in  paying  for  what  we  can  have  for  nothing," 
said  Madame  Rosenberg;  "so  if  you  have  no  objection,  I 
shall  accept  the  offer." 

"  As  you  please,"  said  her  husband.  "  A  visit  to  the  iron- 
works is  not  exactly  what  I  enjoy  most  in  the  world." 

"  Crescenz,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  taking  no  notice  of 
this  remark,  "  Crescenz,  just  put  on  your  bonnet,  and  slip 
over  to  old  Madame  Lustig's ;  ask  her  if  she  can  take 
charge  of  you  and  Hildegarde  on  Monday ;  but  she  must 
ppend  the  whole  day  here,  and  promise  to  sleep  in  the 
nursery." 

Crescenz  left  the  room,  not  without  slightly  glancing  to- 
wards Hamilton,  and  primly  pressing  her  lips  together  to 
repress  a  smile. 

"  I  don't  like  Madame  Lustig,"  said  Hildegarde,  abruptly. 

"Why?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Because  she  so  evidently  tries  to  please  everybody." 

"  Better  than  evidently  trying  to  please  no  one,"  said  her 
mother,  sharply.  "  However,  whether  you  like  her  or  not, 
if  she  take  charge  of  you  and  Crescenz  on  Monday,  I  expect 
you  will  do  whatever  she  desires,  and  consider  her  as  in  my 
place." 

Hildegarde  looked  up  as  if  about  to  remonstrate,  caught 
her  father's  eyes,  and  then  bent  over  her  coffee-cup  without 
speaking. 

Madame  Lustig  made  no  difficulties  and  many  promises. 
She  arrived  the  next  morning,  when  they  wore  all  breakfast- 
ing together,  at  an  unusually  early  hour,  listened  patiently 
to  Madame  Rosenberg's  directions  about  locking  the  house- 
door,  and  fastening  the  windows,  and  examining  the  stoves, 
and  then  accompanied  them  to  the  carriage  with  Hamilton, 
Hildegarde,  and  Crescenz.  Major  Stultz  seemed  very  much 
inclined  to  remain  behind,  but  Crescenz  whispered  rather 
loudly,  "  that  mamma  had  been  so  kind  about  her  trousseau, 
that  he  ought  to  visit  grandpapa." 

"  What  an  artful  little  animal  it  is,  after  all !"  thought 
Hamilton,  "  and  how  different  from "  He  looked  to- 
wards Hildegarde,  who,  all  unconscious  of  their  plans,  after 


356  THE  INITIALS. 

having  twisted  a  black  silk  scarf  round  her  father's  neck, 
stood  rubbing  her  hands,  and  slightly  shivering  in  the  cold 
morning  air. 

"  Adieu,  adieu,"  was  repeated  in  every  possible  tone,  while 
the  carriage  drove  off.  A  moment  afterwards,  Crescenz  was 
scampering  up  the  stairs,  dragging  Madame  Lustig  after 
her ;  and  when  Hamilton  and  Hildegarde,  who  followed 
more  leisurely,  reached  the  door,  they  were  obliged  to  re- 
main there,  for  Crescenz,  dancing  a  galop  with  Madame 
Lustig,  was  now  forcing  her  backwards  the  whole  length 
of  the  passage  at  a  tremendous  pace,  the  jolly  old  woman 
keeping  the  step,  and  springing  with  all  her  might  for  fear 
of  falling.     Hamilton  and  Hildegarde  looked  on,  laughing. 

At  length  they  stopped  for  want  of  breath.  "  Well — what 
— shall  we — do  first?"  said  Crescenz,  twisting  up  her  hair, 
which  had  fallen  on  her  shoulders. 

"  Do  !"  panted  Madame  Lustig,  as  she  leaned  against  the 
wall.  "  You  have  nearly — killed  me — this  is  not  the  way 
to  make  me  able  to  go  to  the  masqu " 

In  a  moment  Crescenz's  apron  was  over  her  head,  and  a 
new  struggle  began. 

"  I  asked  you  what  we  should  do  first  ?"  cried  Crescenz, 
laughing,  "  suppose — suppose  we  make  ice-cream  ?  Mamma 
has  left  me  the  keys,  and  allowed  me  to  take  whatever  I  like 
from  the  store-room.  You  have  a  good  receipt,  I  am  sure  ; 
let  us  make  the  cream,  and  Mr.  Hamilton  and  Hildegarde 
can  turn  it  round  in  the  ice-pail !" 

"  Shall  we  not  first  arrange  with  Walburg  about  the 
dinner?" 

"  Oh,  dinner !  how  very  disagreeable  to  be  obliged  to  eat 
dinner !  Cannot  we  for  once,  just  by  way  of  a  joke,"  she 
said  coaxingly,  "  have  something  instead  of  dinner  ?" 

"  Soup,  boiled  beef,  and  steam  noodles  are,  however,  not 
to  be  despised  ;  and  that  is  what  your  mother  ordered,"  said 
Madame  Lustig ;  "  besides,  on  Mr.  Hamilton's  account,  you 
ought " 

"  Oh,  I  have  no  objection  to  dining  on  ice-cream,"  said 
Hamilton,  laughing. 

"  You  see  !"  said  Crescenz,  "  Mr.  Hamilton  is  so — so 


You  see  he  will  do  whatever  we  wish.  Let  us  make  some 
cakes  out  of  the  cookery-book,  and  then  we  can  all  be  merry 
together  in  the  kitchen  !" 


A  DAY  OF  FREEDOM.  357 

A  sort  of  compromise  was  made.  The  soup  and  boiled 
beef  were  allowed,  but  the  ice-cream  and  several  kinds  of 
cakes  were  to  be  forthwith  fabricated.  Madame  Lustig  was, 
like  most  Germans  in  her  station  in  life,  an  excellent  cook ; 
she  was  also  a  good-humoured,  thoughtless  person,  and  soon 
became  quite  as  unrestrained  as  her  young  companions. 
Her  cap  and  false  curls  were  laid  aside,  her  sleeves  tucked 
up,  a  capacious  white  apron  bound  over  her  black  silk  dress, 
and  she  was  immediately  employed  in  beating  up  eggs  and 
pounding  sugar.  Hamilton  amused  himself  singing  aloud 
the  cookery-book  in  recitative,  until,  in  the  course  of  time, 
he  was  duly  established  with  Hildegarde  near  a  window  in 
the  corridor,  a  large  bucket  of  ice  between  them,  in  which 
was  placed  the  pail  containing  the  cream.  They  turned  it 
round  alternately,  and  Crescenz  occasionally  inspected  the 
process,  dancing  with  delight  as  it  began  to  freeze. 

"  Oh,  dear !  how  nice !  I  hope  it  will  not  melt  before 
Lina  Berger  comes.     Is  this  window  cool  enough  ?" 

"  Cool !"  said  Hildegarde,  laughing  ;  "  try  it  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  you  will  say  cold,  I  think." 

"  Could  you  not  spare  Mr.  Hamilton  for  a  little  while, 
Hildegarde  ?  We  want  him  to  pound  sugar  ;  our  arms  posi- 
tively ache,  and  Walburg  is  not  yet  come  back  from  market." 

Hildegarde  made  no  objection,  and  Hamilton  was  con- 
ducted back  to  the  kitchen,  from  whence,  immediately, 
repeated  bursts  of  laughter  issued. 

The  arrival  of  Madame  Berger  seemed  to  increase  the 
noise  ;  she  closed  the  kitchen-door,  but  Hildegarde  distinctly 
heard  the  words  :  "  Congratulate — freedom  for  one  day  at 
least — make  good  use — amusement — Hildegarde — hush." 
A  short  whispering  ensued,  and  at  length  Madame  Lustig 
made  her  appearance,  inspected  the  ice-cream,  and  proposed 
putting  it  outside  the  window.  "  There  is  no  use  in  your 
tormenting  yourself  longer,  my  dear,"  she  said,  smiling ; 
"  we  have  something  else  to  interest  us ;  come,  we  must  hold 
a  consultation." 

"  About  what  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  About  a  masquerade  ;  were  you  ever  at  one  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  at  school  we  had  one  almost  every  year  ;  I  was 
always  ordered  to  be  a  Greek  or  a  Circassian." 

"  Ah,  that  was  children's  play  among  ourselves ;  but  I 
mean  a  real  masquerade  !" 


358  THE  INITIALS. 

"  You  mean  the  public  masquerades — at  the  theatre,  per- 
haps ?" 

"  Just  so  ;  should  you  like  to  go  to  one?" 

"  To  be  sure  I  should,  of  all  things !"  cried  Hildegarde, 
eagerly.     "  When  is  it  ?" 

"  To-night." 

Her  countenance  fell.  "  Oh,  if  we  had  only  known  it 
sooner.     If  we  had  only  been  able  to  ask  papa  !" 

"  There  !  I  told  you,"  cried  Madame  Berger,  coming  out 
of  the  kitchen,  followed  by  the  others,  "  I  knew  she  would 
make  all  sort  of  difficulties,  and  spoil  Crescenz's  pleasure  I" 

"  I  am  sure,"  said  Madame  Lustig,  "  neither  your  father 
nor  mother  would  have  any  objection ;  when  I  go  with  you, 
and  Madame  Berger,  and  Mr.  Hamilton." 

"  It  is  true  mamma  said  I  was  to  do  whatever  you  desired 
me "  began  Hildegarde,  with  some  hesitation. 

"  Oh,  I  will  command  your  attendance,  if  that  will  be 
any  relief  to  your  conscience,"  cried  Madame  Lustig,  with  a 
loud  laugh. 

Hildegarde  coloured  deeply,  and  looked  towards  Hamil- 
ton ;  he  was  eating  almonds  and  raisins  from  a  plate,  which 
Madame  Berger  held  towards  him.  "  Let  us  talk  about  our 
masks,  and  not  about  our  consciences,"  cried  the  latter.  "  I 
must  go  home  to  dinner,  or  the  Doctor  will  be  impatient. 
We  are  to  be  black  bats  ;  black  silk  dresses  ;  black  dominoes, 
with  hanging  sleeves,  and  hoods ;  masks  half  black,  and  a 
knot  of  white  ribbon  under  the  chin,  that  we  may  know 
each  other.     How  many  dominoes  shall  I  order  ?" 

"  For  us  all,  Lina,  for  us  all !"  cried  Crescenz,  eagerly. 

"  We  may  as  well  dress  at  your  house,"  cried  Madame 
Lustig.  "It  is  not  necessary  that  Walburg  should  know 
anything  about  the  matter.  The  Doctor  will  have  gone  out 
before  seven." 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  may  come  at  half-past  six ;  I  must  have 
time  to  dress  Mr.  Hamilton  as  well  as  myself,  you  know  ! 
Adieu,  au  revoir." 

Immediately  after  dinner,  Hildegarde  put  on  a  black 
dress,  and  came  to  the  drawing-room  where  Hamilton  was 
sitting,  or  rather  reclining,  on  the  sofa,  reading ;  she  leaned 
slightly  over  him,  and  almost  in  a  whisper  asked  if  he  were 
disposed  to  give  her  advice,  should  she  request  it. 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Hamilton,  looking  up  with  a 


A   DAY  OF  FREEDOM.  359 

smile ;  "  I  "have  been  so  long  dismissed  from  the  office  of 
preceptor,  that  I  have  quite  got  out  of  the  habit  of  giving 
advice." 

"  Forget  that  you  have  been  preceptor,  and  take  the  name 
of  friend,"  said  Hildegarde ;  "  we  shall  get  on  better,  I 
think." 

"  I  like  the  proposition,"  cried  Hamilton,  quickly  rising 
from  his  recumbent  position,  "  our  ages  are  suitable.  Let  us," 
he  added,  laughing,  "  let  us  now  swear  an  eternal  friendship." 

"  Agreed,"  said  Hildegarde,  accepting  his  offered  hand. 
"  And  now,  tell  me,  shall  I  go  to  this  masquerade  or  not  ?" 

"  I  thought  you  had  already  decided  !" 

"  Not  quite.  I  wish  very  much  to  go,  that  is  the  simple 
truth  ;  but  I  fear,  that  under  the  name  of  obedience  to 
Madame  Lustig  I  am  trying  to  persuade  myself,  that  I  am 
following  my  mother's  injunctions ;  while,  in  fact,  I  am  only 
seeking  an  excuse  to  do  what  I  wish.  Do  you  understand 
me?" 

"  Perfectly." 

"  And  you  think,  perhaps,  I  ought  not  to  go  ?" 

"  I  think — indeed  I  am  sure,  that  I  can  give  you  no  ad- 
vice on  the  subject.  I  am  too  much  interested  in  youi 
decision,  to  be  a  '  righteous  judge.'  " 

"  How  are  you  interested  ?" 

"  Simply  thus  ;  if  you  do  not  go,  the  whole  party  is  spoiled 
for  me." 

Hildegarde  was  silent  for  more  than  a  minute.  She  did 
not  disclaim  ;  she  knew  he  had  spoken  his  thoughts.  "  If," 
she  said  at  length,  "  if  I  had  only  known  it  in  time  to  have 
asked  my  father's  leave,  I  really  do  think  he  would  have 
had  no  objection." 

"  If  you  think  that,  you  may  decide  on  going  with  a  deal 
conscience." 

"  Is  this  your  opinion — advice  ?" 

"  I  give  no  advice,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing,  "  I  only  wish 
you  to  go." 

"  Then — I — will  go,"  said  Hildegarde,  thoughtfully  ;  "  go 
— notwithstanding  a  kind  of  misgiving  which  I  cannot  over- 
come, a  sort  of  a  warning — a  presentiment; " 

"  I  should  rather  have  suspected  your  sister  of  having 
misgivings  and  warnings,  than  you,"  said  Hamilton ;  "  yet 
she  seems  to  have  none." 


360  THE  INITIALS. 

"  She  is  governed  by  her  wishes,  and  Lina  Berger ;  be- 
sides, it  is  not  likely  that  anything  unpleasant  should  occur 
to  her  !" 

"  And  to  you  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  surprised. 

"  Not  likely,  either,"  said  Hildegarde,  gayly  ;  "  for,  thank 
goodness,  Oscar  must  spend  the  evening  with  Marie,  when 
they  are  to  be  married  to-morrow." 

Raimund  had  been  but  once  at  the  Rosenbergs'  since  the 
ball,  and  had  played  cards  the  whole  evening.  Hamilton 
knew  that  she  had  not  since  spoken  to  him.  Yet,  no  sooner 
had  she  pronounced  her  cousin's  name,  than  all  his  feelings 
changed  ;  he  bit  his  lip,  and  walked  to  the  window. 

"  I  wish "  began  Hildegarde,  but  she  suddenly  stopped, 

for  she  recognized  Raimund's  voice  speaking  to  her  sister  in 
the  passage.     Hamilton  strode  across  the  room. 

"  Oh,  stay  !  stay,  I  entreat  of  you  !"  she  cried,  anxiously. 

"  Do  you  not  wish  to  be  alone  with  your  cousin  ?" 

"  No,  no,  no — that  is,"  she  added,  hurriedly,  "  yes — per- 
haps it  is  better " 

"  As  you  please,"  said  Hamilton,  moving  again  towards 
the  door. 

Hildegarde  seemed  greatly  embarrassed.  "  If  you  would 
only  promise  not  to  say  anything  to  make " 

"  I  really  do  not  understand  you,"  cried  Hamilton,  impa- 
tiently. 

"  When  he  has  been  here  for  a  minute  or  two,"  she  said, 
quickly,  "  go  for  Crescenz  and   Madame  Lustig,  say  they 

must  come  here — must  remain "     Her  cousin   entered 

the  room  while  she  was  speaking. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  interrupt  you,  my  dear  Hildegarde,"  he 
said,  with  a  stiff  and  evidently  forced  smile,  "  but  I  come  to 
take  leave " 

"  Take  leave  !  what  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  I  am  to  be  executed  to-morrow,  you  know." 

«  Ah  !— so " 

"  It  is  particularly  kind  of  you  and  Crescenz  to  put  on 
mourning  for  me  beforehand,"  he  continued,  glancing  gravely 
at  her  black  dress. 

"  Oscar,  how  can  you  talk  so?"  said  Hildegarde,  reproach- 
fully ;  "  such  jesting  is,  to-day,  particularly  ill-timed." 

"  By  heaven,  I  am  not  jesting.  I  never  was  less  disposed 
to  mirth  than  at  this  moment,"  he  answered,  falling  heavily 


A  DAY  OF  FREEDOM.  361 

into  a  chair,  and  drawing  his  handkerchief  across  his  fore- 
head. 

"  Have  you  been  with  Marie  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  And  you  will  return  to  her  ?" 

"  I  suppose  I  must." 

Here  Hamilton  precipitately  left  the  room  to  summon 
Madame  Lustig  and  Crescenz,  but  they  were  much  too 
busily  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  a  complicated  cake 
to  follow  him,  so  he  hurried  back  alone  to  the  drawing-room, 

and  found  Hildegarde in  her  cousin's  arms.     She  was 

not  struggling,  she  did  not  even  move  as  he  entered,  while 
Raimund,  not  in  the  least  disconcerted  by  his  presence, 
passionately  kissed  her  two  or  three  times.  At  length  she 
suddenly  and  vehemently  pushed  him  from  her,  exclaiming, 
"  Go,  I  hate  you  !" 

"  You  hate  me  !  hate  me,  did  you  say  ?  Let  me  hear  that 
once  more,  Hildegarde,"  he  said,  losing  every  trace  of  colour 
as  he  spoke. 

"  No,  no — I  don't  hate  you — but  you  have  acted  very — - 
very  ungenerously,"  said  Hildegarde,  with  ill-suppressed 
emotion. 

"  I  understand  you ;  but  you  will  forgive  me  this  last 
offence,  I  hope  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  forgive  you,  and  will  try  to  forgive  you  all  you 
have  done  to  worry  and  alarm  me  since  our  acquaintance 
began,"  said  Hildegarde,  bitterly,  "  but  this  must  indeed  be 
the  last  offence." 

u  It  will  be,  most  certainly,"  said  Raimund  ;  and,  taking 
both  her  hands,  he  looked  at  her  long  and  earnestly,  and 
then  left  the  room  without  in  any  manner  noticing  Hamilton. 

A  long  pause  ensued.  Hamilton's  eyes  were  riveted  on 
his  book,  which  he  had  again  taken  up  ;  but  he  never  turned 
over  the  leaf,  nor  did  he  move  when  he  became  conscious 
that  Hildegarde  was  standing  beside  him. 

"  That  was  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  made  at  the  ball 
on  Saturday,"  she  at  length  said,  in  a  very  low  voice.  "  I 
knew  that  his  mind  was  in  a  state  of  unusual  irritation,  and 
his  claiming  a  dance  which  I  had  not  promised  him  proved 
his  wish  to  quarrel  with  you.  My  fears  alone  made  me  con- 
sent." 

Hamilton  turned  round.  A  light  seemed  suddenly  to 
q  31 


362  THE  INITIALS. 

break  upon  him ;  and  Hildegarde's  motives  for  many  inex- 
plicable actions  became  at  once  apparent.  His  first  impulse 
was  to  tell  her  so.  and  to  assure  her  of  his  increased  admi- 
ration and  affection ;  but  he  recollected,  just  at  the  right 
moment,  that  all  such  explanations  from  him  were  a  waste 
of  words  and  time ;  that  he  had  told  her  so  more  than  once 
himself.  So,  after  a  short  but  violent  internal  struggle,  he 
said,  with  forced  serenity,  "  My  reliance  on  you  will  hence- 
forth be  unbounded." 

She  seemed  perfectly  satisfied  with  this  answer.  Notwith- 
standing its  laconicism,  she  fully  understood  the  extent  of 
confidence  which  would  in  future  be  placed  in  her,  and  she 
left  the  room  with  a  light  heart. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE    MASQUERADE. 


Four  muffled  figures  quitted  the  Rosenbergs'  apartments 
about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  not  long  after,  a  light 
figure  bounded  up  the  stairs,  and  knocked  with  closed  hand 
on  the  door.  Walburg  cautiously  looked  through  the  grated 
aperture ;  but  on  recognizing  Count  Raimund,  she  immedi- 
ately opened  it. 

"  Where  are  your  ladies  gone  ?  I  saw  them  leaving  the 
house  a  few  minutes  ago." 

"  They  are  gone  to  spend  the  evening  with  Madame 
Berger,  I  believe." 

"  Did  you  hear  them  say  anything  about  going  to  the 
masquerade?" 

"  No ;  but  Miss  Crescenz  did  nothing  but  run  about  and 
whisper  the  last  half  hour,  and  Madame  Lustig  took  the 
house-keys  with  her,  and  said  I  might  go  to  bed  if  they 
were  not  home  before  ten  o'clock.  I  am  almost  sure  they 
intend  to  go  to  the  masquerade ;  and  Miss  Crescenz  might 
have  trusted  me,  as  I  should  never  have  said  anything  about 
it." 

"  Perhaps   you    are   mistaken,"  said   Raimund,   absently. 


THE  MASqUERADE.  363 

"  At  all  events,  it  is  better  to  say  nothing  about  it  to  Madame 
Rosenberg,"  and  he  slowly  descended  the  stairs,  and  walked 
towards  Dr.  Berger's  house,  remaining  in  the  street  near  it 
until  he  saw  the  five  black  masked  figures  enter  a  carriage. 
Though  all  studiously  dressed  alike,  he  easily  recognised 
Madame  Berger's  small  and  Madame  Lustig's  stout  figure, 
while  Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  were  sufficiently  above  the 
usual  height  to  make  the  group  remarkable. 

It  was  early  when  they  entered  the  theatre,  but  the  house 
was  already  crowded,  the  tiers  of  boxes  were  filled  with 
spectators,  who,  later  in  the  evening,  joined  the  masks  in  the 
large  ball-room  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  pit  and  stage. 
Crescenz  became  alarmed  when  surrounded  by  a  number  of 
speaking  masks,  and  clung  to  Hamilton's  arm.  Madame 
Berger  and  Madame  Lustig,  on  the  contrary,  laughed  and 
talked  with  a  freedom  which  rather  shocked  Hamilton. 
Hildegarde  at  first  answered  gayly  all  who  addressed  her ; 
for  she  felt  that  she  was  perfectly  unknown  ;  but  after  some 
time  she  perceived  that  two  masks  had  joined  their  party, 
and  seemed  determined  to  remain  with  them.  A  slight 
young  Turk  had  attached  himself  to  Madame  Berger,  while 
a  mysterious  black  domino  followed  her  like  a  shadow. 

"  How  much  pleasanter  it  must  be  to  look  on  from  above  !" 
she  observed,  at  length  ;  "  one  has  all  the  amusement  without 
the  press  and  anxiety  of  the  crowd." 

"  Oh,  dear !  I  have  got  quite  used  to  it  now,"  said  Cre- 
scenz, "  and  I  am  not  at  all  afraid." 

"  If  there  are  places  in  the  boxes  to  be  had,"  said  Ham- 
ilton, "  and  you  are  willing  to  leave  this  turmoil,  I  am  quite 
sure  I  can  procure  them  for  you." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  let  us  ask  Madame  Lustig." 

But  Madame  Lustig  protested  against  the  plan.  She 
could  not  allow  them  to  leave  her — it  would  be  quite  im- 
proper if  they  were  to  be  seen  alone  with  Mr.  Hamilton — 
indeed,  she  would  rather  they  were  not  seen  at  all,  and  she 
positively  could  not  leave  Madame  Berger  with  that  trouble- 
some Turk,  not  having  the  least  idea  who  he  might  be ! 

"  There  is  no  use  in  asking  Lina,"  said  Crescenz  to  Ham- 
ilton, who  had  moved  towards  Madame  Berger.  And,  indeed, 
all  his  arguments  proved  vain.  "  People  should  not  go  to 
masquerades  who  did  not  know  how  to  enjoy  themselves ! 
She  had  no  idea  of  coming  to  the  theatre  to  mope  away  the 


364  THE  INITIALS 

evening  in  a  box — she  could  do  that  four  times  every  week ; 
besides,  the  presence  of  Mr.  Hamilton  was  necessary  for 
propriety's  sake,  and  she  could  not,  and  would  not  dispense 
with  his  attendance."  All  this  was  poured  forth  with  a 
volubility,  in  French,  that  attracted  the  attention  of  the  by- 
standers. "  No,  the  gay  little  devil  of  a  masque  must  not 
think  of  going,  nor  her  corpulent  friend  either !"  and  they 
were  again  drawn  on  with  the  crowd :  Hamilton  followed 
with  the  sisters,  who  now  ceased  altogether  to  speak.  Cre- 
scenz  had  also  become  aware  that  they  were  followed  by  a 
black,  taciturn  figure,  which,  as  she  whispered  to  Hamilton, 
put  her  in  mind  of  the  Inquisition,  and  all  sorts  of  horrors. 

"  But,"  said  Hildegarde,  who  had  heard  her  remark,  "  we 
are  also  quite  black,  and  probably  make  the  same  disagreeable 
impression  on  other  people." 

'•  He  seems  quite  unknown  !  I  have  not  seen  him  speak 
to  any  human  being,"  said  Crescenz. 

"  Neither  have  we,  for  the  last  half  hour,"  answered  her 
sister. 

"  Oh,  my  dear,  if  you  have  no  objection  to  having  him  at 
your  elbow  all  the  evening,  I  have  nothing  more  to  say," 
cried  Crescenz  ;  "  that  is  quite  a  matter  of  taste." 

"  Is  he  annoying  you  in  any  way  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  answered  Hildegarde.  "  The  crowd  is 
so  great  that  he  could  not  easily  leave  us,  even  if  he  wished 
it." 

In  the  meantime,  Madame  Berger  and  Madame  Lustig, 
encouraged  by  the  masks  around  them,  had  begun  to  follow 
the  unmasked  groups  who  had  descended  from  the  boxes. 
They  knew  the  private  histories  of  most  persons,  and  were 
so  unmerciful  in  their  remarks — so  mischievous  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  their  bon-bons  and  devices,  that  they  at  length 
found  it  expedient  to  plan  a  retreat,  which  was  no  longer 
easy,  as  they  were  followed  by  several  persons  who  wished  to 
find  out  who  they  were.  A  dance  which  was  to  be  performed 
by  the  corps  de  ballet,  in  costume,  seemed  to  favour  them. 
They  had  only  time  to  whisper  to  each  other,  "  Home,  as 
fast  as  possible,  by  the  front  door  of  the  theatre,"  when  they 
were  pushed  about  and  separated  in  all  directions.  Several 
coaches  were  in  attendance,  Hamilton  immediately  procured 
one,  and  they  were  soon  in  it  laughing  merrily  over  their 
adventures. 


THE  MASQUERADE.  365 

"  How  well  we  all  managed  to  come  together,  after  all !" 
cried  Madame  Berger ;  "  I  really  had  begun  to  fear  we  should 
not  get  rid  of"  my  Turk — who  could  he  have  been  !" 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Madame  Lustig,  yawning,  "  but  I  am 
glad  that  we  five  are  safely  together  again,  and  not  running 
about  looking  for  each  other,  which  might  easily  have 
happened." 

"  It  often  does  happen,"  said  Madame  Berger,  counting 

her  companions,  "  one,  two,  three,  four,  five There  was  a 

black  familiar  of  the  Inquisition  following  Hildegarde  all 
night ;  *I  really  was  afraid  he  might  have  been  among  us." 

To  her  house,  according  to  agreement,  they  all  repaired  to 
change  their  dresses.  Hamilton  assisted  them  to  descend 
from  the  carriage ;  the  last  person  sprang  unaided  to  the 
ground,  threw  the  black  domino  back,  with  a  quick  wave  of 
the  hand,  and  discovered  the  figure  of  the  Turk.  "  Good- 
night, Madame  Berger,"  he  cried  in  a  feigned  voice,  "good- 
night— good-night,"  and  with  a  gay  laugh  he  darted  down 
the  street. 

"  Was  there  ever  anything  so  provoking !"  exclaimed 
Madame  Berger,  in  a  voice  denoting  great  annoyance. 
"  What  have  I  said  to  him  to-night?  or  rather,  what  have  I 
not  said  to  him  ?  How  vexatious — he  must  have  borrowed 
a  domino  from  a  friend  in  order  to  get  among  us !" 

"  But,"  cried  Madame  Lustig,  in  a  voice  of  alarm,  "  one 
of  us  must  have  been  left  behind." 

"  It  must  be  Crescenz,"  cried  Hamilton.  "  I  will  return 
to  the  theatre  directly  for  her." 

"  It  must  be  Hildegarde,"  cried  Crescenz,  who  stood  beside 
him. 

Without  uttering  a  word,  he  sprang  into  the  carriage,  and 
the  coachman  drove  off.  His  anxiety  was  indescribable ;  in 
the  crowd  he  had  felt  the  absolute  necessity  of  releasing  the 
arm  of  one  of  the  sisters,  and  deceived  by  the  extreme  like- 
ness in  their  figures,  had  almost  forcibly  retained  Crescenz, 
who  chanced  to  be  at  the  moment  followed  by  the  silent 
mask,  and  whom  he  consequently  mistook  for  her  sister. 

At  the  theatre  he  dismissed  the  coachman,  and  began 
making  inquiries.  "  A  black  domino  alone,  separated  from 
a  party  of  friends  ?"  Numbers  of  black  dominoes  had  been 
seen — many  had  been  separated  from  their  friends  !  was  the 
usual  answer.     At  length,  a  footman  who  had  been  lounging 

31* 


366  THE  INITIALS. 

at  a  distance,  observed,  that  about  half  an  hour  before,  a 
black  domino — a  lady,  had  been  stunned  by  a  blow  from  the 
pole  of  a  carriage,  and  had  been  carried  off  by  another 
black  domino. 

"  That  may  have  been  Hildegarde  !"  cried  Hamilton,  in 
a  state  of  fearful  anxiety. 

"  I  think  that  was  the  name  he  called  her,"  said  the  man, 
preparing  to  walk  away. 

"  He  !     Who  is  he?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  I  don't  know — he  said  he  lived  close  by,  and  that  he  was 
a  near  relation." 

"  Raimund  I"  almost  groaned  Hamilton,  as  he  rushed  out 
of  the  theatre  towards  the  lodgings,  which  he  knew  were  in 
one  of  the  adjoining  streets. 

The  door  at  one  side  of  the  entrance-gate  was  slightly  ajar, 
it  had  probably  been  left  so  by  some  servants  who  had  stolen 
off  to  the  masquerade,  and  did  not  wish  to  announce  their 
return  by  ringing  the  bell.  Raimund's  rooms  were  on  the 
ground  floor,  a  couple  of  steps  led  to  them.  Hamilton  ascended 
— the  door  was  open — he  entered  a  narrow  passage,  and 
stood  opposite  the  entrance  to  one  of  the  chambers,  knocked 
first  gently,  then  loudly ;  shook  the  door ;  no  sound  reached 
him  ;  at  length  he  moved  towards  another  door  and  called 
out,  "  Hildegarde,  for  heaven's  sake,  if  you  are  here,  answer 
me  ?"  He  thought  now  he  heard  some  one  moving  in  the 
room. 

"  Let  me  in— open  the  door,"  he  cried,  pushing  with  all 
his  strength  against  it. 

"  Wait  a  moment,"  said  a  voice  which  he  with  difficulty 
recognised  as  Hildegarde's,  "  wait — I  must — take  the  key 
from " 

"  Heaven  and  earth,  Hildegarde !  How  can  you  be  so 
calm,  when  you  know  how  anxious  we  must  be  about  you ! 
Are  you  alone  ?" 

"  No — yes,"  she  answered,  quite  close  to  the  door. 

"  Count  Raimund,  you  have  no  right  to  make  a  prisoner 
of  your  cousin.  Open  the  door  directly,"  cried  Hamilton, 
shaking  it  until  the  hinges  rattled. 

He  heard  at  length  the  key  placed,  with  a  trembling  hand, 
in  the  lock — it  turned  and  Hildegarde  stood  before  him. 
The  hood  of  her  capuchin  was  thrown  back,  and  her  features, 
deadly  pale  and  rigid   in  an  expression  of  horror,  met  his 


THE  MASQUERADE.  367 

yiew.  She  pointed  silently  towards  a  figure  lying  on  the 
ground,  which,  when  Hamilton  approached,  he  found  to  be 
the  corpse  of  her  cousin !  He  must  have  shot  himself 
through  the  mouth,  for  the  upper  part  of  his  head,  hair, 
and  brain  were  scattered  in  frightful  bloody  masses  around. 
A  more  hideous  object  could  hardly  be  imagined ;  he  turned 
away,  and  seizing  Hildegarde's  hand,  drew  her  out  of  the 
room,  while  he  whispered,  "  What  a  dreadful  scene  for  you 
to  have  witnessed !" 

Scarcely  were  they  in  the  street  when,  putting  her  hand  to 
her  head,  she  exclaimed,  "  My  gloves — mask — handkerchief, 
are  in  his  room — is  it  of  any  consequence  ?" 

"  Of  the  greatest,"  cried  Hamilton.  "  If  your  name  be 
on  the  handkerchief,  it  may  lead  to  most  unpleasant  inquiries. 
Wait  here.     I  must  return  to  the  room." 

As  he  entered  the  room  for  the  second  time  he  observed 
an  appearance  of  confusion  in  it  which,  in  his  haste  and 
anxiety  about  Hildegarde,  had  before  escaped  his  observa- 
tion. Her  gloves  and  handkerchief  he  found  near  the  stove, 
and  not  far  from  them,  to  his  great  surprise,  a  dagger !  On 
the  table,  beside  the  small  shaded  lamp,  stood  a  wine  bottle 
and  tumblers,  writing  materials,  and  several  letters  were 
heaped  together ;  and,  on  glancing  towards  them,  he  found 
one  addressed  to  Hildegarde,  which  he  immediately  put  in 
his  pocket,  and  then  prepared  to  leave ;  but,  to  his  dismay, 
he  heard  the  sound  of  approaching  voices,  and  at  once  his 
unpleasant,  perhaps  dangerous,  situation  occurred  to  him. 
His  known  enmity  to  Raimund  made  it  absolutely  necessary 
for  him  to  endeavour  to  leave  the  house  without  being  rec- 
ognised, and,  having  tied  on  Hildegarde's  mask,  he  took 
refuge  in  a  small  wood-room,  ready  to  escape  the  first  oppor- 
tunity that  should  offer.  The  persons  whose  voices  he  had 
heard  were  servants ;  one  of  them,  a  French  girl,  was 
speaking  while  he  gained  his  hiding-place,  and  he  heard  her 
say,  "  The  old  lady  desired  me  to  call  her  son,  I  would  not 
go  into  his  room  for  all  the  world  at  this  time  of  night." 

u  What  does  she  want  with  him  ?" 

"  Oh,  she  says  she  heard  the  report  of  a  gun  or  pistol  a 
short  time  ago,  and  is  alarmed.  She  asked  me  if  I  had  not 
heard  it  too  ?" 

"  And  did  you  hear  it  ?" 

"  How  could  I  when  I  was  not  in  the  house  ?     The  best 


368  THE  INITIALS. 

thing  I  can  do  is  to  say  that  Count  Oscar  is  not  yet  returned 
home.  I  am  afraid  she  won't  believe  me,  as  he  never  re- 
mains late  at  those  Hoffmanns'." 

"  But  you  may  tell  her  that  I  saw  him  going  to  the  mas- 
querade at  nine  o'clock  in  a  black  domino.  We  can  knock 
at  the  door,  and  if  we  get  no  answer,  he  is  not  there." 

11  And  if  he  should  answer?" 

"  Why,  then,  we  can  speak  to  him  together !" 

While  they  knocked  at  the  door,  Hamilton  glided  out; 
but  not,  as  he  had  hoped,  unseen,  for  they  turned  and  ran 
after  him  into  the  street,  calling  out,  "  Count  Oscar !  Count 
Oscar !     Madame  la  Comptesse  wishes  to  speak  to  you." 

Hamilton  shook  his  hand  impatiently  towards  them,  which 
made  them  desist,  and  then  breathlessly  joined  Hildegarde, 
who  was  standing  motionless  on  the  spot  where  he  had  left 
her. 

"I  ought  not  to  have  allowed  you  to  return,"  she  said, 
clasping  her  hands  convulsively  round  his  arm,  "  it  was 
thoughtless — selfish  of  me.     Had  you  been  seen  !" 

"  I  have  been  seen,  but  not  recognised,"  said  Hamilton ; 
"  I  put  on  your  mask,  and  some  servants  mistook  me  for 
Count  Raimund." 

"  Can  that  lead  to  a  discovery  ?"  asked  Hildegarde,  stop- 
ping in  the  middle  of  the  cold,  cheerless  street. 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  rather  think  it  will  prevent  any  dis- 
covery being  made  until  to-morrow  morning." 

"  His  wedding-day  I"  said  Hildegarde,  with  a  stifled  groan. 
"  Oh,  what  will  Marie  de  Hoffmann  think  of  him  ?" 

"  She  will  perhaps  guess  the  truth,"  said  Hamilton.  '•  I 
believe  this  marriage  was  the  immediate  cause  of  the  rash 
act." 

"  Perhaps  I  am  also  to  blame,"  said  Hildegarde,  in  a 
scarcely  audible  voice. 

"  It  may  be ;  but  most  innocently,  I  am  sure.  It  was  not 
your  fault  that  your  cousin  loved  you  so  madly." 

"I — I — did  not  exactly  mean  that,"  said  Hildegarde,  with 
a  shudder. 

"Then,  what  did  you  mean?  Tell  me  all  that  occurred. 
That  is,"  added  Hamilton,  for  the  first  time  since  he  had 
joined  her  recurring  to  his  former  fears,  "  that  is,  if  you 
can." 

"  I  can,  and  will,  though  the  recollection  is  most  painful," 


THE  MASQUERADE.  369 

said  Hildegarde,  in  an  agitated  manner ;  and,  after  a  mo- 
ment's pause,  she  began :  "  Having  been  separated  from  you 
all,  I  naturally  endeavoured  to  reach  the  front  door  of  the 
theatre,  where  we  had  agreed  to  assemble  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble ;  always,  to  my  great  annoyance,  followed  by  the  black 
domino,  who,  in  the  end,  proved  to  be  Oscar.  Had  I  known 
it  sooner,  it  would  have  saved  me  a  world  of  horrors.  I  was 
excessively  alarmed,  as  you  may  imagine,  and,  forgetting 
my  character  as  mask,  inquired,  in  my  natural  voice,  of 
everyone  I  met  if  they  had  seen  four  black  dominoes  together  ? 
Everyone  had  seen  dominoes  such  as  I  had  described ;  and 
after  hearing  that  some  had  left  in  carriages  and  some  on 
foot,  I  at  length  determined  to  walk  home  alone.  Taking 
advantage  of  the  confusion  caused  by  several  parties  en- 
deavouring to  drive  oif  together,  and  hoping  by  that  means 
to  escape  from  the  domino  who  had  become  an  object  of 
terror  to  me — like  a  thing  in  a  dream — I  ran  at  full  speed 
out  of  the  theatre.  In  order  to  reach  the  quieter  streets,  I 
unfortunately  turned  towards  the  advancing  line  of  carriages  ; 
the  crowd  was  enormous,  and  I  was  buffeted  about  in  all 
directions,  until  at  length  the  pole  of  a  carriage  threw  me 
down  and  completely  stunned  me." 

"  So  it  was  you  !  And  were  you  hurt?"  asked  Hamilton, 
anxiously,  and  stopping  to  look  at  his  companion.  Strange 
to  say,  he  had,  until  that  moment,  forgotten  what  he  had 
heard  at  the  theatre  ! 

"  No,  not  much  ;  my  shoulder  is  bruised,  I  believe,  but 
my  head  fell  on  the  ground,  and  I  was  insensible  for  some 
minutes.  Some  one,  probably  Oscar,  must  have  seized  the 
horses'  heads  and  forced  them  backwards.  When  I  re- 
covered, I  felt  myself  supported  by  him,  and  recognised  his 
voice  immediately.  There  was  a  terrible  stamping  of  horses, 
and  noise,  and  swearing  about  us,  and  I  made  a  violent  effort 
to  walk.  With  Oscar's  assistance,  I  reached  the  next  street ; 
he  proposed  my  going  into  his  lodgings  for  a  few  minutes 
until  I  felt  stronger,  which  I  at  first  refused,  but  becoming 
so  faint  when  we  were  passing  his  house  that  I  could  scarcely 
stand,  I  thought  it  better  to  go  willingly  than  perhaps  be 
carried  there  in  a  state  of  insensibility.  A  lamp  was  burn- 
ing in  the  room  when  we  entered,  and  wine  was  on  the 
table  ;  he  poured  me  out  a  glass  without  speaking,  which  I 
immediately  drank,  and  then  sat  down  on  the  sofa  to  rest. 


370  THE  INITIALS. 

In  the  meantime,  lie  walked  silently  up  and  down  the  room, 
and  then  returned  to  the  table,  where  he  quickly  swallowed 
several  tumblers  of  wine.  Alarmed  by  his  manner,  I  im- 
mediately stood  up,  and  declared  that  I  was  quite  able  to 
return  home.  If  he  were  not  disposed  to  accompany  me, 
I  would  go  alone.  His  answer  was  locking  the  door  and 
placing  the  key  in  his  pocket." 

"And  you?"  asked  Hamilton,  quickly,  "what  did  you 
do?" 

"  I  cannot  describe  the  undefined  terror  which  this  pro- 
ceeding caused  me ;  but,  on  seeing  the  dagger,  with  which 
he  had  once  so  frightened  me,  lying  on  the  table,  I  suddenly 
seized  it  and  retreated  towards  the  stove.  He  asked  me 
what  I  meant ;  but  I  only  answered  by  repeating  the  words, 
1  Open  the  door — let  me  go — let  me  go.'  He,  however,  then 
informed  me  that  he  had  no  intention  of  doing  either  the 
one  or  the  other ;  he  was  determined  for  once  that  I  should 
hear  him,  and  answer  him  ;  and  he  ordered  me  perempto- 
rily to  give  him  the  dagger.  I,  of  course,  refused,  and — 
and " 

"  Well,"  said  Hamilton,  breathlessly. 

"  A  violent  struggle  ensued ;  he  wrested  it  forcibly  out  of 
my  hand,  and,  I  believe,  in  trying  not  to  hurt  me,  was 
wounded  himself,  for  I  saw  blood  trickling  down  the  blade  as 
he  held  it  triumphantly  up  in  the  air.  In  springing  to  the 
other  side  of  the  stove  I  found  a  bell- rope.  Perhaps  I  wrong 
Oscar,  but  I  believe  the  fear  of  that  bell  alone  preserved  me 
from  further  insult." 

"  He   must   have   been    perfectly    desperate,"    observed 
Hamilton,  taking  a  long  breath. 

"  He  appeared  so  to  me,"  continued  Hildegarde,  shud- 
dering. "  I  saw  him  change  colour  as  I  grasped  the  rope ; 
but,  with  wonderful  coolness,  he  advised  me  to  refrain  from 
summoning  witnesses  to  my  being  in  his  room  at  such  an 
hour  of  the  night ;  that  I  had  entered  willingly,  and  no 
human  being  would  believe  my  assertion  of  innocence,  as 
unfortunately  his  reputation  was  such  that  mine  would  be 
lost  should  I  be  seen  and  recognised.  Though  trembling 
with  anger,  I  perceived  the  justice  of  his  remark,  and  care- 
fully avoided  ringing,  though  I  held  the  cord  tighter  than 
ever.  He  came  nearer  and  nearer,  and  talked  long  about 
his  love,  and  hatred  of  you.     I  was  too  much  agitated  to 


THE  MASQUERADE.  371 

understand  much  of  what  he  said  ;  and  I  believe  he  per- 
ceived it  at  last,  for  he  threw  himself  at  my  feet  and  declared 
he  would  die  there.  I  pushed  back  his  hands  with  disgust, 
and  told  him  that  he  need  not  hope  again  to  terrify  me — I 
knew  he  had  no  thought  of  dying,  but  I  once  more  requested 
him  to  open  the  door  and  give  me  my  liberty.  He  started  up 
frantically,  and  taking  a  small  pistol  from  the  table,  again 
approached  me.  I  asked  him  if  he  intended  to  murder  me. 
He  looked  capable  of  that  or  anything  else  at  the  moment, 

and  when  he  pointed  it  towards  his  own  head,  I "  Hilde- 

garde  paused,  and  covered  her  face  with  her  hands.  Ham- 
ilton did  not  speak,  and  she  again  continued.  "  I  did  not — 
indeed,  I  did  not  for  a  moment  think  him  serious,  he  was 
such  a  consummate  actor !  I  had  seen  him  in  less  than  half 
an  hour  change  from  calm  to  furious  so  often,  that  I  thought 
this  was  only  a  new  effort  to  work  upon  my  feelings ;  I  never 
could — had  I  dreamed  of  the  consequences — at  all  events,  I 
shall  never,  never  be  able  to  forgive  myself!" 

"  You  have  not  told  me  what  you  did,"  said  Hamilton,  in 
a  low  voice. 

"  I — laughed — and  no  sooner  had  he  heard  the  horrid 
mocking  sound  of  my  forced  laughter,  than  he  pulled  the 
trigger,  and  fell,  so  horribly  mangled,  to  the  ground  !"  She 
leaned  against  the  corner  of  a  house,  and  gasped  for  breath. 
"  Do  you  think,"  she  asked,  at  length,  "  do  you  think  that  I 
was  the  immediate  cause  of  his  death  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Hamilton.  "  I  can  give  you  nearly  the 
assurance  that  he  had  intended  to  commit  suicide — this  very 
night  perhaps— his  table  was  covered  with  letters,  and  one, 
addressed  to  you,  I  brought  away  with  me." 

"  Now,  heaven  be  praised  that  this  sin  is  not  on  my  soul !" 
she  cried,  fervently,  and  then  added,  "  I  have  nothing  more 
to  tell  you :  I  don't  know  how  the  time  passed  until  you 
came — it  appeared  very  long,  but  I  never  thought  of  going 
away.  You  will  understand  why  I  was  so  dilatory  in  open- 
ing the  door,  when  you  recollect  that  the  key  was  in  the 
pocket  of  his  waistcoat." 

"  And  now,"  said  Hamilton,  hurrying  towards  Madame 
Berger's  house,  "  let  me  recommend  secrecy.  I  do  not  think 
anyone  will  imagine  that  we  know  of  this  melancholy  affair. 
Should  we  speak  of  it,  we  might  be  suspected  of  knowing 
more  than  we  may  be  disposed  to  relate." 


372  .        THE  INITIALS. 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  and  have  not 
the  slightest  wish  to  speak  of  it  to  anyone,  not  even  to  my 
father,  for,  never  having  spoken  to  him  about  Oscar,  my 
confidence,  coming  too  late,  might  offend  him,  as  it  did  about 
Count  Zedwitz." 

"  You  will  have  to  make  a  great  effort,  and  conceal  every 
appearance  of  agitation  from  your  sister  and  Madame  Lus- 
tig,"  said  Hamilton.  "  I  think  we  had  better  avoid  the 
proposed  supper  at  Madame  Berger's.  Give  me  your  capu- 
chin, and  I  will  bring  you  your  bonnet  and  cloak." 

Hildegarde  seated  herself  on  the  stairs,  and  leaned  her 
face  on  her  hands. 

Hamilton's  appearance  without  her  caused  instantaneous 
and  great  alarm  ;  but  when  he  said  she  was  waiting  for  them 
on  the  stairs,  they  became  almost  angry. 

"  So  she  won't  come  to  supper !"  cried  Madame  Berger. 
''  Just  like  her,  an  eternal  spoilsport." 

"  I  fear  she  has  caught  cold,"  said  Hamilton,  looking  round 
for  the  cloak ;  "  you  forget  how  long  she  has  been  in  the 
streets  in  her  light  dress." 

"  But,"  said  Madame  Lustig,  "  she  must  say  she  caught  cold 
making  the  ice-cream  at  the  passage-window.  I  shall  never 
have  courage  to  confess  that  we  have  been  at  this  masquerade, 
and  that  she  has  been  running  about  the  streets  at  this  hour 
of  night.     Was  she  far  from  the  theatre  when  you  met  her  ?" 

"  I  found  her  in Street,"  replied  Hamilton,  evasively, 

and  beginning  to  heap  up  cloaks  and  boas  on  his  arm. 

"  Not  so  fast,  if  you  please,"  cried  Madame  Lustig.  "  Give 
me  my  cloak — I  have  no  fancy  for  catching  cold." 

"  This  is  too  provoking,"  exclaimed  Madame  Berger  ;  "  I 
thought  we  should  have  had  such  a  merry  supper ;  the 
Doctor  in  bed,  and  everything  so  nice  !  Take  a  glass  of  wine, 
at  least,  before  you  go,  Mr.  Hamilton." 

He  quickly  drank  the  wine,  and  then  ran  downstairs. 
Hildegarde  stood  up,  and  allowed  him  to  put  the  cloak  on 
her  shoulders,  fasten  it,  throw  her  boa  round  her  throat,  and 
even  place  her  bonnet  on  her  head  ;  she  merely  asked  :  "  Are 
they  coming  ?" 

"  Hildegarde,"  cried  Madame  Berger,  who  accompanied 
the  others  with  a  candle  in  her  hand,  "  I  take  it  very  ill  of 
you  to  spoil  my  supper  in  this  manner ;  you  might  have  come 
up,  if  only  for  half  an  hour." 


THE  MASQUERADE.  373 

"  You  have  caught  cold — you  are  ill,"  whispered  Hamilton 
in  English. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  spoil  your  supper  party,  Lina,  hut  I  am 
really  ill,  and  must  go  home,"  said  Hildegarde,  in  so  con- 
strained and  husky  a  voice  that  Madame  Lustig,  mistaking 
it  for  hoarseness,  hurried  down  the  stairs,  exclaiming  :  "  Good 
gracious,  the  child  can  hardly  speak  !  What  will  her  father 
say  to  me  ?" 

About  an  hour  after,  while  Hamilton  was  still  walking 
uneasily  up  and  down  his  room,  he  heard  some  one  knock  at 
the  door.  On  opening  it  he  was  scarcely  surprised  to  see 
Hildegarde.  No  trace  of  colour  had  returned  to  her  face, 
but  her  features  had  regained  their  usual  calm,  statue-like 
expression. 

"  I  knew  I  should  still  find  you  in  this  room,"  she  said, 
with  a  faint  smile.  "  You  may  give  me  my  letter ;  I  can 
read  it  now." 

It  was  on  the  table,  and  Hamilton  pushed  it  towards  her. 
She  sat  down,  drew  a  candle  near  her,  and,  shading  her  eyes 
with  one  hand,  held  the  letter  steadily  with  the  other.  When 
she  had  finished  reading  it,  she  gave  it  to  Hamilton,  saying: 
"  That  is  a  wild  piece  of  composition  ;  how  fortunate  that  it 
fell  into  your  hands  !  Had  it  been  sent  to  me,  I  should  have 
been  placed  in  a  most  unpleasant  position.  My  father,  my 
mother,  would  have  read  it ;  I  must  have  explained,  and 
Marie  de  Hoffmann  would  perhaps  have  heard  of  Oscar's 
dislike  to  her,  and  have  blamed  me  more  than  I  deserve." 

Hamilton  read  the  letter,  and  when  she  took  it  out  of  his 
hand,  she  tore  it  to  pieces.  "  I  wish  I  could  burn  these 
remnants,"  she  said,  crushing  them  together  in  her  hand. 

"  Nothing  more  easy,"  said  Hamilton,  pointing  towards 
the  stove.  They  walked  to  it,  and  deliberately  burned  the 
pieces,  one  by  one ;  the  incoherent  sentences  becoming  once 
more  legible  in  a  charred  state  before  they  crumbled  into 
ashes. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Hildegarde,  turning  away ;  "  and  now, 
good-night." 

"  Will  you  not  take  a  candle  ;  or,  shall  I  light  you  ?"  asked 
Hamilton. 

"  Neither :  I  do  not  wish  to  wake  Walburg." 

As  Hamilton  held  the  door  open,  he  recollected  vividly 
the  last  time  she  had  been  in  his  room  at  night.     She  was 

32 


374  THE  INITIALS. 

too  much  preoccupied  to  think  of  it ;  but,  stopping  suddenly, 
she  turned  to  him,  and  said  :  "  Do  you  remember  my  warn- 
ing, my  presentiment  of  evil  ?" 

"  Perfectly,"  he  answered ;  "  but  I  think  the  idea  was 
caused  by  your  imagining  you  were  about  to  do  something 
which  your  father  perhaps  might  not  quite  approve." 

k-  You  account  for  everything  rationally,  and  will  of  course 
not  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  that  I  knew  and  felt  before- 
hand that  Oscar  would  come  to  our  house  yesterday,  and  act 
precisely  as  he  did." 

"  I  do  believe  you  ;  but  it  was  your  natural  understanding 
which  made  you  think  he  would  take  advantage  of  your 
parent's  absence  to  claim  your  promise.  Then  the  almost 
certainty  of  my  presence,  to  give  the  performance  a  zest. 
Perhaps,  however,  the  strongest  motive  of  all,  but  which 
you  could  not  have  known,  was  to  take  leave  of  you.  I 
must  do  him  the  justice  to  say,  I  believe  he  thought  he  saw 
you  for  the  last  time  then." 

"  Would  that  it  had  been  !"  said  Hildegarde.  "  I  could 
at  least  have  regretted  him  as  a  near  relation,  and  felt  pity 
for  his  untimely  end." 

"  And  do  you  not  feel  this?"  asked  Hamilton. 

11  No,"  answered  Hildegarde,  sternly.  "  In  recalling  calmly 
his  words  and  actions  this  night,  I  find  him  wholly  unworthy 
of  esteem.  My  recollection  of  him,  now  stained  with  blood, 
is  hideous,  most  horrible."  She  shuddered  while  she  spoke, 
and  then  walked  down  the  dark  passage  without  looking  at 
Hamilton,  who  held  his  door  open  until  she  had  entered  her 
room. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

WHERE    IS    THE   BRIDEGROOM? 

Hamilton's  slumbers  were  disturbed  by  confused  dreams 
of  Hildegarde  and  Raiinund  ;  but  towards  morning  he  fell 
into  a  heavy  sleep,  from  which  he  was  awakened  by  the 
return  of  Mr.  Rosenberg,  his  wife  and  children  ;  the  latter, 
probably  to    indemnify  themselves   for   their   forced    good 


WHERE  IS   THE  BRIDEGROOM?  375 

behaviour  during  their  absence,  now  scampered  riotously 
up  and  down  the  corridor,  blowing  little  wooden  trumpets, 
which  had  been  given  them  by  their  grandfather  just  before 
thoy  had  left  him. 

When  Hamilton  was  dressed,  he  found  the  whole  family 
assembled  at  breakfast,  all  in  high  spirits.  Crescenz  sprang 
to  meet  him  in  her  bridesmaid's  dress,  looking  so  pretty  that 
Major  Stultz's  laboured  compliments  were  for  once  not  only 
pardonable,  but  even  allowable. 

"  Only  think !"  she  exclaimed,  "  Hildegarde  does  not  like 
being  bridesmaid,  though  Marie  is  much  more  her  friend 
than  mine !     She  says  she  has  got  a  headache,  and  a  cold." 

"  I  knew,"  observed  Madame  Lustig,  "  I  knew  she  would 
catch  cold,  when  I  saw  her  turning  the  ice-cream  yesterday. 
I  ought  not  to  have  permitted  it." 

"  The  cold  is  not  of  much  importance,"  observed  Madame 
Rosenberg ;  "  I  rather  think  she  dislikes  putting  on  a  thin 
white  muslin  dress  in  the  morning." 

"  A  very  natural  dislike  at  this  time  of  year,"  said  her 
husband.     "  It  makes  me  freeze  only  to  look  at  Crescenz." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  feel  at  all  cold,"  cried  Crescenz  ;  "  I  was 
down  at  the  Hoffmanns'  too,  and  there  is  such  a  splendid 
dije&ner  laid  out — and  Marie  really  looks  quite  lovely  in  her 
white  silk  dress  and  orange  flowers !" 

"  You  must  excuse  my  doubting  your  last  assertion,  Cre- 
scenz," observed  her  father,  smiling.  "  Mademoiselle  de 
Hoffmann  is  a  most  amiable,  excellent  person,  but  as  to 
looking  quite  lovely  in  any  dress,  the  thing  is  impossible." 

"  This  day  week,"  said  Major  Stultz,  pompously,  "  we 
shall  see  a  bride  who  looks  lovely  in  every  dress !" 

At  this  moment  Hildegarde  entered  the  room ;  her  pale- 
ness was  still  more  apparent  than  the  night  before,  and  her 
drooping  eyelids  showed  plainly  that  she  had  not  slept.  She 
wished  Hamilton  good  morning  without  looking  at  him,  and 
then  turned  to  her  father. 

"  My  dear  child,"  said  the  latter,  taking  her  hand  com- 
passionately, "  you  seem  really  ill.  Shall  I  send  for  Doctor 
Berger?" 

"  Oh,  no  !"  she  answered,  "  I — I — am  only  cold,"  and  she 
walked  shivering  to  the  stove. 

"  It  will  soon  be  time  to  go  downstairs,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg:.     "  I  think  we  had  better  dress  ourselves  for  the 


376  THE  INITIALS. 

occasion.  This  hint"  she  added,  "  is  intended  for  the  Major 
too — he  seems  to  forget  the  present,  in  anticipation  of  the 
future." 

Major  Stultz  laughed,  bowed  to  Crescenz,  who  was  not 
looking  at  him,  and  left  the  room  with  his  future  father-in- 
law. 

The  moment  the  door  closed,  Crescenz  bounded  towards 
her  sister.  "  Oh,  Hildegarde,  you  have  no  idea  how  beauti- 
fully arranged  everything  is  downstairs  !  What  a  pity  there 
are  to  be  so  few  people !  It  was  very  stupid  of  Oscar  to 
prefer  driving  off  into  the  country  at  this  time  of  year,  to 
having  a  gay  dance  in  the  evening.  However,  Marie  is  quite 
satisfied.  Do  you  know,  the  old  Countess  Raimund  was 
below,  looking  so  red  and  apoplectic.  She  did  not  take  the 
least  notice  of  me,  though  I  heard  her  ask  who  I  was.  I 
dare  say  her  husband  would  not  acknowledge  us  either  ;  but 
he  was  not  there.  They  said  he  was  to  come  with  Oscar. 
Another  carriage  has  just  driven  up  to  the  door.  Perhaps 
that  may  be  Oscar.  I  wonder,  will  he  be  married  in  uni- 
form ?  No — these  are  some  acquaintances  of  the  Hoff- 
manns'— we  don't  know  them." 

As  she  continued  at  the  window,  her  sister  approached 
Hamilton.  "  Is  not  this  a  melancholy  mummery?"  she  said, 
glancing  at  her  bridal  dress.  "  I  feel  as  if  I  were  under  the 
influence  of  a  frightful  dream,  forced  to  act  against  my  in- 
clination, and  in  momentary  expectation  of  some  dreadfu/ 
catastrophe.  Am  I  then  really  awake  ?':  she  added,  extend 
ing  her  cold  hand  to  him. 

"  I  hope  at  least  I  am  not  dreaming,"  he  said,  holding  it 
firmly,  and  looking  at  her  until  a  transient  flush  passed 
across  her  pale  features. 

"  It  will  be  impossible  for'  me  to  appear  surprised  when  1 
hear  what  I  already  know  but  too  well,"  she  said. 

"  No  one  will  observe  you  in  such  a  moment,  and  I  will 
endeavour  to  remain  near  you." 

Here  Madame  Rosenberg  summoned  them,  and  they  all 
descended  the  stairs  together.  There  were  about  twenty 
persons  assembled,  to  whom  Madame  de  Hoffmann  was 
talking  in  her  usual  loud,  sharp  manner,  while  she  paid 
particular  attention  to  a  grand,  stiff-looking,  elderly  woman, 
in  whom  Hamilton  immediately  recognised  the  mother  of 
Raimund.     Hildegarde  and  Crescenz  went  into  the  adjoin- 


WHERE  IS  THE  BRIDEGROOM?  377 

ing  room,  where  the  bride  was  loitering  until  the  arrival 
of  the  bridegroom.  Hamilton  walked  to  the  window,  and 
awaited  in  anxious  silence  the  expected  scene ;  a  minute 
after,  Count  Raimund's  carriage  drove  to  the  door.  With- 
out waiting  to  see  who  descended  from  it,  Madame  de  Hoff- 
mann conducted  her  daughter  into  the  drawing-room,  and 
while  occupied  in  receiving  the  congratulations  of  her 
assembled  friends,  the  poor  girl  did  not  perceive  that  her 
mother  had  been  somewhat  mysteriously  called  out  of  the 
room  ;  soon  after  the  Countess  Raimund  was  summoned, 
and  she  returned  no  more ;  Hamilton  saw  her  assisted  into 
her  carriage,  and  driven  off.  Then  a  couple  of  elderly 
gentlemen  and  Mr.  Rosenberg  were  sent  for  ;  the  latter 
alone  returned,  deprived  of  his  usual  serenity,  and  evidently 
at  a  loss  what  to  say.  He  approached  Mademoiselle  de 
Hoffmann,  looked  round  the  room,  and  then  said :  "  I  am 
sorry  to  be  the  bearer  of  unpleasant  tidings — but — Count 
Raimund  has  become  so  suddenly  and  alarmingly  ill,  that 
his  mother  has  been  obliged  to  return  home — and — the 
marriage — cannot  possibly  take  place — to-day." 

"  111 !"  exclaimed  Marie,  growing  very  pale.  "  Where  is 
my  mother?" 

She  entered  at  the  moment,  and  Hamilton  saw  from  her 
extreme  agitation  that  she  knew  all.  She  spoke  hurriedly 
and  confusedly  with  her  guests,  unconsciously  showing  her 
impatience  to  get  rid  of  them.  The  Rosenbergs  were  the 
last,  and  were  about  to  retire,  when  Marie  laid  her  hand  on 
Hildegarde's  arm,  and  begged  her  to  remain  with  her. 

"  Mademoiselle  Hildegarde  will  not  be  able  to  offer  you 
much  consolation,  Marie,"  said  her  mother,  bitterly;  "there 
is  little  or  no  chance  of  Count  Raimund's  recovery." 

"  While  there  is  life  there  is  hope,"  said  the  poor  girl, 
bursting  into  tears.  "  I  suppose  he  has  got  the  cholera,  but 
many  people  have  recovered  from  it,  and  why  should  not  he  ?" 

Madame  Rosenberg  left  the  room,  followed  by  her  hus- 
band, Crescenz,  and  Hamilton. 

About  an  hour  afterwards,  Hildegarde  returned  home,  and 
changed  her  dress.  She  found  her  father,  mother,  and  Major 
Stultz  talking  eagerly  in  the  drawing-room ;  the  moment  she 
appeared,  her  father  exclaimed,  "  See  there  is  Hildegarde 
already  in  mourning !  I  am  sure  a  natural  feeling  of  pro- 
priety induced  her  to  put  on  a  black  dress." 

32* 


378  THE  INITIALS. 

"  A  natural  feeling  of  pride,"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg ; 
"  she  wishes  people  to  know  that  a  Count  Raimund  was  her 
cousin  ;  her  aunt,  however,  the  Countess,  examined  her  super- 
ciliously enough  through  her  lorgnette  to  day,  without  in  the 
least  appearing  to  remember  the  relationship." 

"  What  is  the  matter?"  said  Hildegarde  appealing  to  her 
father. 

"  The  matter  !"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg.  "  Your  father 
most  absurdly  wishes  you  and  your  sister  to  put  on  mourn- 
ing for  your  worthless  cousin,  and  proposes  Crescenz's  mar- 
riage being  deferred  until  after  Easter.  Heaven  knows,  in 
these  cholera  times,  where  we  may  all  be  in  six  or  seven 
weeks." 

"  Babette  !"  said  her  husband  reproachfully,  "  this  is  going 
too  far." 

"  Well,  I  did  not  quite  mean  to  say  so  much,  but  I  am 
against  any  further  delays ;  let  the  girls  wear  mourning  if 
you  wish  it,  and  I  promise  to  arrange  the  wedding  so  quietly 
that  no  one  will  know  anything  about  the  matter." 

"  This  is  a  reasonable  proposal,"  said  Major  Stultz.  "  Cre- 
scenz  can  put  on  her  mourning  after  her  marriage  and  wear 
it  for  six  months,  if  you  wish  it." 

"  A  few  weeks,  for  decency's  sake,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberg, 
"  I  certainly  do  desire.  Count  Oscar  at  least  acknowledged 
the  relationship,  and  his  parents'  neglect  cannot  alter  the 
position  of  my  daughters,  or  prevent  them  from  mourning 
the  unhappy  end  of  their  mother's  nephew." 

In  the  meantime  Hamilton  had  approached  Hildegarde. 
and  asked  her  how  her  friend  had  borne  the  intelligence. 

"  We  did  not  venture  to  tell  her.  She  still  thinks  and 
talks  of  cholera ;  but,"  she  added,  in  a  low  voice,  "  imagine 
Madame  de  Hoffmann  taking  me  aside,  and  in  the  most 
abrupt  and  unfeeling  manner  informing  me  of  the  real  facts, 
fixing  her  small  inquisitive  eyes  on  my  face  the  whole  time. 
She  little  knew  how  well  prepared  I  was  for  her  intelligence." 

"  What  did  you  say  ?" 

"  Very  little.  That  it  was  a  melancholy  affair  altogether. 
That  Oscar  had  possessed  some  good  and  many  brilliant 
qualities,  but  that,  had  he  lived,  I  feared  he  was  not  calcu- 
lated to  have  made  Marie  happy." 

"  Did  she  agree  with  you  ?" 

"  More  than  I  wished.     She  said,  that  after  the  first  month 


WHERE  IS  THE  BRIDEGROOM 1  379 

she  had  endeavoured  to  draw  back,  but  that  the  Raimunds 
had  not  allowed  her.  She  had  long  perceived  that  Oscar 
did  not  care  for  her  daughter,  and  had  suspected  that  I  was 
the  object  of  his  love,  and  that  I  returned  it  too,  but  she 
said  she  was  now  convinced  of  her  error,  and  begged  my 
pardon  for  her  unjust  suspicion." 

"And  you?" 

"  I  pardoned  her  without  difficulty,  as  you  may  suppose. 
Indeed,  Oscar's  conduct  must  have  alarmed  and  irritated 
any  reasonable  mother.  Marie's  blindness  has  been  incom- 
prehensible to  me." 

"  You  forget  that  love  is  blind." 

"  Yes,  to  faults,  but  not  to  flagrant  neglect." 

"To  weaknesses,  faults,  ill  usage,  to  everything,"  said 
Hamilton. 

"  I  suppose  it  is  so,"  said  Hildegarde,  thoughtfully.  "  Marie 
certainly  was  blind  to  all  his  errors,  and  will  probably  ever 
remain  so.  I  was  dazzled  myself  at  first,  as  you  may  re- 
member." 

"  Perfectly,"  said  Hamilton,  dryly. 

"  I  know  I  have  a  sad  habit  of  taking  likings  and  dislik- 
ing," she  continued,  listlessly. 

"  Yes,  and  on  such  occasions  you  are  not  exactly  blind ; 
you  can  even  mistake  faults  for  perfections." 

"I  am  afraid  that  it  is  true,"  said  Hildegarde,  leaning 
back  in  her  chair,  with  half-closed  eyes,  and  speaking  very 
slowly.  "  I  remember  for  some  time  thinking  Madame  de 
Hoffmann  agreeable  and  entertaining ;  her  severe  remarks  I 
mistook  for  wit,  until  they  were  directed  against  myself." 

"  And  what  an  antipathy  you  took  to  me  at  first  sight !" 
observed  Hamilton. 

"  You  have  no  idea  how  she  disliked  you,"  cried  Crescenz, 
who  had,  unperceived,  approached  them.  They  both  started, 
and  then  blushed,  as  she  continued,  u  if  you  had  only  heard 
her  in  Berchtesgarden  railing  at  the  cold,  proud  Englishman." 

"  Crescenz,"  said  Hildegarde,  with  evident  effort,  "  don't 
let  us  talk  of  that  now ;  I  cannot  defend  myself  against  you 
both  to-day,  I  am  too  tired." 

"  Perhaps  you  begin  to  think  differently  of  him,"  said 
Crescenz,  archly ;  "  Lina  Berger  may  after  all  be  right. 
When  we  were  waiting  for  you  last  night  at  her  house,  she 
said  she  thought  your  hatred  might  in  the  end  turn  into " 


380  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Oh,  Crescenz,"  gasped  Hildegarde,  in  so  unnatural  a  tone 
that  her  father  called  out,  u  Why,  what's  the  matter  there?" 

"  Hildegarde  is  getting  into  a  passion,"  said  Madame  Ro- 
senberg.    "  Do  you  not  see  how  she  is  changing  color?" 

And  changing  color  she  was  with  frightful  rapidity ;  no 
one  but  Hamilton  knew  that  she  had  been  twenty-four  hours 
without  eating,  for  in  the  hurry  of  preparing  for  the  wed- 
ding, her  not  breakfasting  had  passed  unobserved.  None 
but  he  knew  the  shock  which  her  nerves  had  received  the 
night  before,  the  constraint  under  which  she  had  been  labour- 
ing ;  he  alone  understood  that  Crescenz's  last  remark  was 
the  drop  which  made  the  cup  of  bitterness  to  overflow,  and 
yet  he  was  quite  as  much  shocked  as  the  others  when, 
stretching  out  her  arm,  and  vainly  grasping  the  air  for  sup- 
port, she  fell  senseless  on  the  floor. 

"  Crescenz,  what  have  you  said  to  your  sister?"  cried  her 
father,  rushing  forward. 

"  I  don't  know — I  don't  remember.  What  did  I  say  ?" 
she  cried,  appealing  with  a  look  of  alarm  to  Hamilton. 

Mr.  Rosenberg  raised  Hildegarde,  who,  however,  gave  no 
sign  of  returning  life ;  he  was  so  alarmed  and  trembled  so 
violently,  that  Hamilton  was  obliged  to  assist  him  to  lay  her 
on  the  sofa,  while  Crescenz  opened  the  window,  and  Madame 
Rosenberg  went  for  water.  Their  united  efforts  at  length 
brought  her  to  consciousness ;  she  opened  her  eyes,  per- 
ceived her  father's  terror  as  he  hung  over  her,  and  while 
assuring  him  that  she  was  quite  well  again,  relapsed  into  a 
state  of  insensibility,  which  lasted  until  she  had  been  re- 
moved to  her  room,  and  placed  on  her  bed. 

Doctor  Berger  was  sent  for.  He  hoped  her  illness  might 
prove  of  no  consequence,  but  she  must  be  kept  very  quiet ; 
there  were  symptoms  which  might  lead  to  typhus  or  brain 
fever.  Crescenz  repeated  this  opinion  to  her  sister,  who,  on 
hearing  it,  immediately  desired  to  see  Hamilton. 

"  But  not  now — not  here,"  said  Crescenz. 

"  No,  I  believe  I  must  write  a  few  lines,  and  you  can  give 
my  note  to  him  as  he  passes  on  his  way  to  his  room." 

Crescenz  brought  a  pencil  and  paper,  and  Hildegarde  wrote 
in  English : 

"  You  have  heard  the  doctor's  opinion  of  my  illness ;  I 
think,  myself,  it  will  only  prove  a  severe  cold.  Should  it, 
however,  end  in  fever,  and  should  I  become  delirious,  you 


THE  WEDDING  AU  TR0IS1EME.  381 

must  go  to  Mademoiselle  Hortense,  one  of  the  governesses  in 
our  school,  tell  her  my  situation,  and  say  I  request  her  to 
come  and  take  charge  of  me.  My  step-mother  will  be  satis- 
fied with  the  arrangement,  and  you  have  no  refusal  to  fear ; 
my  motives  you  will  easily  guess." 

k' May  I  read  it?"  asked  Crescenz  as  she  received  the 
paper  from  her  sister — "  ah !  it  is  English ;  how  fond  you 
are  of  everything  English." 

"  It  is  a  commission  to  Mademoiselle  Hortense ;  you  may 
see  her  name,"  said  Hildegarde.  "  Mr.  Hamilton  can  more 
easily  go  to  her  than  you  can." 

"  Oh,  if  that  be  all,  I  am  glad  you  have  chosen  him,  for 
you  know  I  am  horribly  afraid  of  her." 

"  I  know,"  said  Hildegarde,  pressing  her  hand  on  her 
forehead,  and  turning  away. 

The  next  two  days  were  passed  over  in  uncertainty,  and 
Hamilton  wandered  about  disconsolately  enough ;  but  on 
the  third,  Hildegarde  appeared  to  relieve  his  mind ;  and  so 
great  was  her  father's  joy  at  her  recovery,  that  he  actually 
spent  the  whole  evening  at  home,  without  even  requiring  a 
rubber  of  whist. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE   WEDDING   AU   TROISIEME. 

Several  days  passed  over.  Count  Raimund's  death  had 
been  much  discussed  among  his  acquaintance,  who  almost 
unanimously  agreed  in  thinking  he  had  committed  the  rash 
act  to  avoid  a  connection  so  much  beneath  him.  He  was 
more  regretted  than  he  deserved ;  his  various  talents  having 
made  him  unusually  popular,  and,  in  the  society  in  which  he 
had  moved,  people  were  not  generally  in  the  habit  of  study- 
ing character,  or  seeking  motives  of  action.  His  circle  was, 
however,  so  completely  unknown  to  the  Rosenbergs ;  they 
were  so  totally  without  any  sort  of  communication  with  any 
member  of  it,  now  that  Count  Zedwitz  had  ceased  to  frequent 
their  house,  that  they  heard  none  of  the  remarks — not  one 
of  the  particulars.  It  spared  Hildegarde  much  anxiety,  for 
his  wounded  hand,  the  blood-stained  dagger,  and  open  door, 


382  THE  INITIALS. 

had  caused  many  inquiries ;  and  had  it  not  been  for  a  letter 
which  he  had  written  to  his  father  (in  the  vain  endeavour  to 
exculpate  himself),  might  have  led  to  suspicions  of  murder. 

The  Rosenbergs  heard  nothing,  and  the  preparations  for 
Crescenz's  marriage  began  ;  they  were  conducted  with  osten- 
tatious secrecy  to  please  Mr.  Rosenberg,  who  had  consented 
to  its  taking  place  sooner  than  had  been  expected,  as  the 
Hoffmanns  had  left  the  house,  and  removed  altogether  to  Augs- 
burg. Madame  Berger  had  promised  to  play  waltzes  if  the 
company  should  prove  numerous  enough  to  enable  them  to 
dance,  and  Madame  Lustig  had  spent  two  or  three  afternoons 
cooking  for  the  supper.  On  the  wedding-day,  Hamilton  was 
not  a  little  surprised  to  find  Crescenz  sitting  composedly  at 
breakfast  in  her  gingham  morning  wrapper,  while  her  father 
left  the  room  to  go  to  his  office  as  usual. 

"  I  believe  I  have  dressed  too  early,"  he  said,  glancing  at 
his  studied  toilet ;  "  may  I  ask  at  what  hour " 

"  At  five  in  the  afternoon,"  answered  Hildegarde.  "  Mamma 
has  determined  to  keep  her  promise,  and  has  desired  our 
friends  to  meet  us  at  the  Frauen  Church.  On  our  return  it 
will  be  almost  dark,  and  no  one  will  know  that  we  have  a 
wedding  in  the  house." 

"  But  we  shall  dance,"  cried  Crescenz,  "  and  Major  Stultz 
said  I  might  waltz  as  often  as  I  pleased  with  you  this 
evening !" 

"  How  very  kind  !"  said  Hamilton,  smiling ;  "  and  how 
often  do  you  intend  to  make  use  of  the  permission?" 

"  That  depends  upon  you,  I  should  think,"  she  answered, 
blushing. 

"  You  had  better  not  trust  to  my  discretion.  I  shall  be 
tempted  to  make  up  for  lost  time,  and  dance  with  you  the 
whole  evening.  You  have  put  no  sugar  in  my  coflee,"  turn- 
ing with  a  look  of  mock  distress  to  Hildegarde.  "  Did  you 
forget  it  on  purpose  to  punish  me  for  being  so  late  ?" 

"  No.     I — I  was  thinking  of  something." 

"  And  that  something  ?" 

"  Is  not  of  much  importance.  I  was  thinking  that,  had 
you  made  that  speech  to  Crescenz  a  few  months  ago,  I  should 
have  been  angry,  for  I  should  have  imagined  you  were 
amusing  yourself  at  her  expense — whereas  I  now  know  that 
you  mean  nothing,  but  that  you  will  dance  with  her  two  or 
three  times  this  evening." 


THE  WEDDING  AU  TROISIEME.  383 

t;  And,"  said  Hamilton,  warmly, "  and  that  I  like  to  dance 
with  her,  and  am  obliged  to  her  for  wishing  to  dance  with 
me.     I  mean  that,  too." 

"  I  knew  you  did,"  cried  Crescenz,  triumphantly.  "  I  am 
sure  I  always  understood  you  better  than  Hildegarde,  not- 
withstanding all  her  cleverness ;  but  from  the  time  that 
Count  Zedwitz  told  her  that  you  were  already  quite  a  man 
of  the  world,  a — a — what  was  the  word,  Hildegarde  ?" 

"  I  don't  remember  the  word,"  she  answered,  calmly. 

"  It  meant,  I  remember,"  said  Crescenz,  "  a  person  who 
was  too  cold  and  calculating  for  his  years — who  was  too 
worldly  to  have  much  feeling." 

"  That  was  unjust — that  was  saying  too  much,"  cried 
Hamilton,  coloring. 

"  So  Hildegarde  thought  also,  but  she  has  always  insisted 
that  you  are  proud  and  calculating,  and  that  you  seek  to 
amuse  yourself  with  other  people's  feelings  and  weaknesses." 

"Is  this  your  opinion  of  me?"  said  Hamilton,  turning  to 
Hildegarde. 

"  It  was,"  she  replied,  steadily. 

"  Oh,  Hildegarde  is  not  afraid  to  say  what  she  thinks ; 
her  opinion  of  you  must  have  greatly  changed,  if  it  be  what 
you  would  like  to  hear." 

Hildegarde  moved  behind  her  sister  to  hide  the  intense 
blush  which  now  spread  over  her  features,  and,  placing  her 
hand  on  her  shoulder,  perhaps  to  prevent  her  from  turning 
round,  she  said,  in  a  low  voice,  and  with  an  embarrassed 
manner,  "  Crescenz,  you  have  no  idea,  I  am  sure,  how  you 
are  paining  me  at  this  moment.  You  are  forcing  me  to 
confess,  that  I  have  not  in  this  instance  acted  towards  you 
with  my  usual  candour.  I  have  the  very  highest  opinion  of 
Mr.  Hamilton." 

"  Well,  to  be  sure  !"  exclaimed  Crescenz,  while  she  endeav- 
oured to  catch  a  glimpse  of  her  sister's  face,  but  Hildegarde 
moved  still  further  back,  and  continued :  "  That  I  disliked 
him  at  first  is  most  true,  more  on  your  account,  however, 
than  on  mine ;  for  his  open  hostility  to  me  was  excusable — 
his  covert  attentions  to  you  unpardonable." 

"  But,"  said  Crescenz,  who  seemed  altogether  to  have  for- 
gotten Hamilton's  presence ;  "  but  when  did  you  begin  to 
think  differently  of  him  ?" 

"  From  the  time  that  he  has  ceased  to  be  the  subject  of 


384  THE  INITIALS. 

altercation  between  us,"  answered  Hildegarde,  bending  over 
her  sister,  and  kissing  her  forehead. 

"  But,  Hildegarde,"  cried  Crescenz,  turning  round  with 
unexpected  energy,  "  before  we  went  to  the  ball,  do  you 
remember,  when  I  told  you  that  Lina  Berger  had  said  that 
Mr.  Hamilton  might  still  be  my  scha " 

Hildegarde's  two  hands  closed  over  her  mouth,  and  the 
word  was  stiffled  in  utterance.  "  Good  gracious  !  I  quite 
forgot  he  was  still  here,"  she  cried,  making  a  slight  effort  to 
laugh,  and  then  running  out  of  the  room. 

A  long  pause  ensued.  Hidegarde  began  to  arrange  the 
cups  and  saucers  on  a  tray,  until  Hamilton,  without  looking 
up,  asked  her  if  she  could  remember  the  very  time  when  her 
opinion  of  him  had  changed. 

"  Perfectly ;  it  was  the  night  of  Crescenz's  quarrel  with 
Major  Stultz.  Your  explanations  by  moonlight  in  our  room 
were  upright  and  honourable." 

"  And  you  forgave  my  having  flirted  with  her  at  Seon  ?" 

"  Yes ;  and  I  forgave  your  having  tried  to  do  the  same 
with  me  here." 

"  The  case  is  totally  different,"  began  Hamilton. 

"  There  is  some  difference,  I  allow,"  said  Hildegarde;  "you 
warned  me  so  well,  that  it  would  have  been  inexcusable  my 
not  understanding  you — besides,  I  had  the  advantage  of 
hearing  from  Count  Zedwitz,  that  you  considered  yourself  at 
liberty  to  act  as  you  pleased  after  having  so  fairly  warned 
me." 

"  Zedwitz's  love  for  you  made  him  forget  his  friendship 
for  me  altogether,"  said  Hamilton,  with  some  irritation. 

"  I  do  not  blame  your  conduct  to  me,"  said  Hildegarde  ; 
"you  wanted  to  improve  yourself  in  German,  and  found 
quarrelling  or  flirting  with  me  the  most  exciting  method. 
I  have  profited  by  your  society  also,  for  I  have  not  only 
learned  to  pronounce  English,  but,"  she  added,  with  an 
arch  smile,  "  I  begin  to  understand  something  of  the  art 
of  flirting,  too,  of  which,  I  do  assure  you,  I  knew  nothing 
when  our  acquaintance  began." 

"  Oh,  do  not  say  that,"  cried  Hamilton ;  "  you  are  only 
joking,  I  am  sure,  for  you  have  no  inclination  that  way,  but 
your  sister  Crescenz " 

"  My  sister  Crescenz  knew  nothing  of  your  propensities 
that  way  at  Seon,  and,  therefore,  I  blame  your  conduct  to- 


THE  WEDDING  AD   TROISIEME.  385 

wards  her.  Your  love,  if  you  ever  felt  any,  was  pardonable  ; 
people  cannot  help  that,  I  believe — but  your  endeavours  to 
make  her  dislike  Major  Stultz  were  quite  unpardonable." 

"  I  acknowledge  it,"  said  Hamilton,  gravely,  "  and  regret 
it." 

"  That  fault  you  were  able  in  a  measure  to  repair,"  con- 
tinued Hildegarde,  "but,  perhaps,  you  are  not  aware  that 
you  have  been  the  cause  of  frequent  altercations  between 
me  and  my  sister — and  that  almost  total  estrangement  has 
taken  place  between  us  in  consequence." 

"  And  is  that  my  fault,  too?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  replied,  sorrowfully.  "  Before  we 
became  acquainted  with  you,  we  never  had  the  most  trifling 
difference  of  opinion — and  now  we  never  think  alike,  and  all 
confidence  is  at  an  end  !" 

"  You  take  the  matter  too  seriously,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  I 
am  convinced  your  sister  is  not  aware  of  your  estrangement." 

"  I  am  afraid  you  are  mistaken "  began  Hildegarde,  but 

at  this  moment  Crescenz  entered  the  room ;  she  was  dressed 
to  go  out,  and  asked  her  sister  to  accompany  her. 

"  Let  us  be  off,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  we  have  no  time  to 
lose." 

"  May  I  go  with  you?"   asked  Hamilton. 

"  N — o,  I  rather  think  not,"  replied  Hildegarde. 

"  But  he  may  come  for  us  in  an  hour  or  so,"  said  Cre- 
scenz, nodding  to  him  with  a  smile. 

"  Tell  me  where  I  shall  find  you." 

Crescenz  coloured  and  hesitated.     "  In in  my in 

the in  Major  Stultz's  apartments." 

"  We  are  going  to  arrange  the  furniture,"  said  Hildegarde, 
closing  the  door. 

The  hour  had  scarcely  half  elapsed,  when  Hamilton 
found  himself  again  with  the  two  sisters ;  he  was  without 
ceremony  desired  to  make  himself  useful,  and  immediately 
employed  in  assisting  to  arrange  a  press  which  was  to  be 
filled  with  linen — afterwards  the  chairs  and  tables  were 
moved  about  in  all  directions,  the  etaglre  admired,  and 
finally  they  adjourned  to  the  kitchen,  where  Crescenz,  with 
amusing  exultation,  exhibited,  one  by  one,  her  culinary 
utensils  to  Hamilton,  explaining  their  uses,  and  assuring 
him  that  though  her  mother  intended  to  give  her  Walburg 
as  servant,  she  was  determined  to  cook  everything  herself. 
r        z  33 


386  THE  INITIALS. 

While  she  was  yet  speaking,  old  Hans  came  to  say  she  was 
expected  home — they  were  to  dine  earlier  than  usual,  and 
the  hair-dresser  was  expected  before  two  o'clock.  She  be- 
came very  pale,  and  after  having  dismissed  him,  sat  down 
on  a  little  wooden  stool,  and  began  to  cry.  Hildegarde 
silently  made  a  sign  to  Hamilton  to  leave  them,  and  greatly 
wondering  at  the  sudden  change,  he  walked  back  to  the 
drawing-room. 

On  glancing  round  at  the  furniture  which  Crescenz  con- 
sidered so  splendid,  he  could  not  help  smiling  at  the  frugality 
of  her  taste.  Was  he  to  be  envied  for  his  more  lavish  ideas  ? 
Assuredly  not.  Everything  in  this  world,  from  the  diamond 
to  the  first  thing  beyond  the  absolute  necessaries  of  life,  is 
valued  fictitiously.  The  actual  worth  depends  on  the  mind 
of  the  possessor,  and  is  regulated  in  civilised  countries  by 
unconsciously  made  comparisons — the  mental  effort  losing 
itself  in  the  result.  To  Crescenz  the  thin  white  muslin 
curtains  were  quite  as  desirable,  even  on  a  cold  day  in  Feb- 
ruary, as  to  Hamilton  the  richest  silk — the  yellow  sofa, 
with  its  hard-stuffed  cushions  and  perpendicular  sides,  was 
intended  to  be  a  seat  of  honour  for  a  guest,  and  was  not 
adapted  for  reclining — even  Hamilton  must  have  failed  in 
discovering  a  posture  of  repose  upon  it,  and  he  had  a  most 
decided  talent  for  making  himself  comfortable.  The  six 
chairs  had  long  thin  legs,  but  the  wood  which  had  been 
spared  on  the  legs  had  been  conscientiously  bestowed  on 
the  backs,  which  were  tastefully  formed  to  represent  hearts. 
A  table,  two  chests  of  drawers,  and  the  etaglre  completed 
the  furniture  of  the  room.  As  Hamilton  stood  before 
the  latter,  trying  to  admire  the  cups,  saucers,  glasses,  and 
bronze  candlesticks  arranged  upon  it,  and  reflected  in  the 
looking-glasses  which  for  that  purpose  formed  the  back, 
Hildegarde  and  her  sister  entered  ;  Crescenz,  with  the  traces 
of  recent  tears  on  her  face,  nevertheless  looked  complacently 
around  her,  for  the  twentieth  time  arranged  the  folds  of  the 
curtains,  dusted  the  table  with  her  handkerchief,  and  then 
led  the  way  downstairs. 

At  five  o'clock,  a  party  of  about  sixteen  or  eighteen  persons 
assembled  in  the  private  chapel  of  the  Frauen  Church  to 
witness  the  marriage  of  Major  Stultz  and  Crescenz  Rosen- 
berg. The  bride  shed  no  tears,  she  looked  very  pretty  ana 
very  shy — the  bridegroom  rather  stouter  and  redder  than 


THE  WEDDING  AU  TR0IS1EME.  387 

usual.  Madame  Rosenberg  openly  expressed  her  satisfac- 
tion, and  hoped  the  day  was  not  far  distant  when  she 
should  be  in  the  same  place,  and  for  the  same  purpose,  on 
Hildegarde's  account.  Hildegarde  was  pale  and  silent,  and 
Mr.  Rosenberg  alone  showed  that  he  was  endeavouring  to 
control  his  emotion. 

On  their  return  home,  they  found  the  rooms  lighted,  and 
supper  prepared  under  the  superintendence  of  Madame 
Lustig.  They  spent  three  hours  at  table,  and  then  they 
danced,  and  then  they  ate,  and  then  they  danced  again 
until  past  midnight,  when,  to  conclude  the  festivity,  punch 
was  made.  Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  this  was,  as  in 
England,  a  simple  mixture  of  water,  sugar,  and  Cognac,  or 
rum.  In  Germany,  it  is  a  complicated  business,  and  not- 
withstanding the  previous  preparations  of  Madame  Lustig, 
Madame  Rosenberg  and  three  or  four  matrons  accompanied 
her  to  the  kitchen  to  assist  in  the  brewing.  Each  had  a 
different  receipt — and  a  separation  of  the  parties  became 
absolutely  necessary,  as  one  proposed  using  black,  another 
green  tea,  for  the  mixture,  while  the  others  were  for  rice- 
water  or  wine.  Hamilton,  who  had  become  a  sort  of 
authority  in  the  house  on  all  subjects,  was  consulted,  but 
on  his  venturing  to  suggest  pure  water,  Madame  Rosenberg 
laughingly  pushed  him  towards  the  drawing-room,  saying, 
it  was  evident  he  knew  nothing  about  the  matter — he  might 
dance  until  the  punch  was  ready  ! 

Most  excellent  it  proved  to  be,  however  concocted,  when 
at  length  Madame  Rosenberg  appeared  with  a  soup-tureen 
full,  and  dispensed  it  ladlewise  to  the  surrounding  company, 
who  then  crowded  round  Major  Stultz  and  Crescenz,  in  order 
to  clink  their  glasses,  and  partake  of  a  colossal  sponge-cake, 
which  the  latter  distributed  in  ample  portions. 

A  short  time  afterwards,  old  Hans  announced,  "  The 
carriage  for  Miss  Crescenz,''  and  she  retired  with  evident 
reluctance  to  put  on  her  shawl.  The  whole  company  pre- 
pared to  leave  at  the  same  time,  and  were  soon  altogether  in 
the  corridor.  Crescenz  embraced  her  step-mother,  and  some- 
what formally  thanked  her  for  her  kindness  and  generosity. 
She  held  out  her  hand  to  Hamilton,  and  then  threw  herself 
into  her  sister's  arms,  and  burst  into  tears.  "  Come,  come, 
Crescenz,"  cried  her  father,  with  an  attempt  at  gayety  he 
was  far  from  feeling,  "  this  will  never  do — you  are  taking 


388  THE  INITIALS. 

leave  as  if  seas  and  not  streets  were  to  separate  us.  Come," 
and  he  drew  her  arm  within  his,  and  led  her  downstairs. 
The  others  followed,  all  but  Hildegarde,  and  after  a  moment's 
hesitation,  Hamilton.  They  returned  to  the  deserted  draw- 
ing-room, where  Hildegarde  threw  open  the  window  and 
leaned  out. 

They  soon  heard  Crescenz's  voice  saying  cheerfully, 
"  Grood-night,  Lina — good -night,  papa — good-night,  Hilde- 
garde." 

"  Good-night,"  answered  her  sister  from  the  window,  and 
the  carriage  drove  off. 

"  Well,  have  we  not  spent  a  merry  evening  !"  cried  Madame 
Rosenberg,  triumphantly,  as  she  almost  breathlessly  entered 
the  room  a  few  minutes  afterwards.  "  This  has  been  a  gay 
wedding  after  all,  you  see,  Franz." 

"  It  has,"  he  answered,  sinking  dejectedly  on  the  sofa  ;  "  I 
am  quite  provoked  with  myself  for  feeling  so  low-spirited. 
I  believe  I  am  not  well." 

"  Ah,  bah,"  cried  his  wife,  laughing,  "  if  you  had  been  ill, 
you  could  not  have  supped  as  you  have  done.  Perhaps, 
however,  you  have  eaten  too  much  fish,  or  turkey,  or  ham  ? 
At  all  events,  I  am  sure  you  are  tired  and  sleepy,  so  you 
may  go  to  bed,  while  we  put  everything  in  order  again." 

Mr.  Rosenberg,  as  usual,  followed  his  wife's  advice  without 
contradiction.  He  held  Hamilton's  hand  for  a  moment  as  if 
he  intended  to  say  something  more  than  the  good-night  which 
was  scarcely  audible. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

A    CHANGE. 


Hamilton  was  wakened  about  three  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing by  Hildegarde  rushing  into  his  room,  and  exclaiming, 
"  For  heaven's  sake,  get  up — get  up,  and  come  to  my  father 
— I  am  afraid  he  has  got  the  cholera.  You  have  seen 
people  ill,  and  know  the  symptoms.  Oh,  come — we  do  not 
know  what  to  do  !" 

"  Send  for  the  Doctor,"  cried  Hamilton.  "  I  shall  be  with 
you  in  a  moment." 


A   CHANGE.  389 

On  entering  Mr.  Rosenberg's  room,  Hamilton  found  Hil- 
degarde  standing  beside  bis  bed,  while  Madame  Rosenberg 
was  walking  up  and  down  the  room,  gesticulating  like  a  per- 
son in  a  state  of  mental  derangement. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Hamilton,"  she  exclaimed,  the  moment  she  per- 
ceived him,  "  tell  me,  only  tell  me  that  Franz  has  not  got 
the  cholera,  and  I  shall  be  grateful  as  long  as  I  live  !  It 
would  be  too  hard  were  he  to  have  it  now,  when  people  say- 
there  is  nothing  more  to  fear.  Last  week,  only  one  man — 
quite  a  decrepit  old  man,  died  of  it  ?  I  am  sure  Franz  has 
only  eaten  too  much  supper  yesterday  evening.  Dont  you 
think  so?  Say  that  he  has  not  got  the  cholera,  and  I  shall 
believe  you  implicitly." 

But  Hamilton  could  not  say  so,  nor  unfortunately  Doctor 
Berger  either ;  the  case  was  at  once  pronounced  a  bad  one, 
and,  in  a  fearfully  short  time,  quite  hopeless.  Consternation 
and  dismay  pervaded  the  whole  household,  when,  on  the 
morning  of  the  third  day,  poor  Mr.  Rosenberg  was  no  more. 
Completely  overpowered  by  the  suddenness  of  her  own  be- 
reavement, Madame  Rosenberg  retired  to  her  room,  unable 
to  speak  to  anyone. 

Major  Stultz  immediately  undertook  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments for  the  funeral,  and  gave  directions  for  the  printing 
of  circular  letters  to  announce  the  death  to  distant  relations 
and  friends,  a  custom  which  saves  the  mourning  family  the 
performance  of  a  most  painful  duty.  Hamilton  took  the 
two  little  boys  to  their  sister  Crescenz.  Her  married  life 
had  begun  in  anxiety  and  sorrow,  and  Hamilton  felt  some 
natural  trepidation  at  seeing  her  again,  under  such  painful 
circumstances ;  but  her  grief  was  of  the  most  tranquil  de- 
scription, the  tears  flowed  unrestrained  over  her  round  rosy 
cheeks,  and  when  they  ceased  left  not  a  trace  behind.  Al- 
though but  a  few  days  had  elapsed  since  she  had  left  her 
family,  a  not  quite  willing  bride,  she  had  already  begun  to 
repeat  her  husband's  words  as  oracles.  Hamilton  half  smiled 
as  he  heard  her :  "  Thank  goodness,  that  she  at  least  was 
provided  for,  and  had  a  home  !  She  hoped  poor  dear  Hilde- 
garde  would  not  now  begin  to  repent  having  refused  such  a 
man  as  Major  Stultz,  the  more  so,  as  that  refusal  precluded 
the  possibility  of  her  ever  residing  with  them !" 

Poor  Hildegarde !  She  had  not  bestowed  one  thought, 
much  less  a  regret,  on  Major  Stultz.     Hamilton,  on  his  return, 

33* 


390  THE  INITIALS. 

found  her  sitting  in  her  room,  perfectly  motionless,  with 
parched  lips,  and  eyes  devoid  of  tears.  He  hoped  she  had 
at  length  begun  to  think  of  herself — recommended  her  to 
try  to  eat  something,  and  go  to  bed.  She  looked  at  him  as 
if  his  words  had  not  conveyed  the  slightest  sense  to  her 
mind — walked  uneasily  up  and  down  the  room  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  then  said,  with  a  shudder,  "  I  am  so  afraid  of 
his  being  buried  alive  !  Do  you  think  he  was  quite — quite 
dead?     If  I  could  only  see  him  once  more." 

"  And  who  could  be  so  cruel  as  to  prevent  you  ?"  exclaimed 
Hamilton.  "  If  it  be  any  relief  to  your  mind,  I  will  remain 
in  his  room  to-night  ?" 

"  In  his  room  !"  she  cried,  clasping  her  hands  convulsively  : 
"  he  is  no  longer  there — they  have  taken  him  away  to  the 
deadhouse." 

"  The  deadhouse !     Where  is  that  ?" 

"  In  the  burying-ground.  They  have  watches  there,  I 
believe,  but  still  he  is  among  all  the  frightful  corpses,  and 
should  he  come  to  himself — imagine  how  horrible !  You 
will  go  with  me — you  will  let  me  see  him  once  more?  I 
cannot  else  believe  that  he  is  really  dead  I" 

"  I  will  go  with  you  there,  or  anywhere  you  please,"  said 
Hamilton,  completely  overcome  by  her  evident  wretchedness. 

The  weather  was  unusually  inclement ;  a  storm  of  falling 
sleet  almost  blinded  them  as  they  waded  through  the  half- 
melted  snow  which  lay  on  the  road  outside  the  town ;  but 
Hildegarde  seemed  unconscious  of  all  these  impediments, 
hurried  on  silently  until  she  reached  the  churchyard,  where 
she  turned  to  a  building,  which  had  escaped  Hamilton's  ob- 
servation on  a  former  occasion,  and  walked  directly  up  to  a 
row  of  glass  doors,  and  stood  as  if  transfixed  with  horror. 
Hamilton  was  in  a  moment  at  her  side,  and  it  must  be  con- 
fessed that  to  those  who  were  not  inured  to  the  various 
aspects  of  death,  the  scene  which  presented  itself  was  shock- 
ing in  the  extreme.  On  tables  in  the  interior  a  long  row  of 
open  coffins  were  arranged,  their  ghastly  tenants  dressed 
with  a  care  that  seemed  to  mock  the  solemnity  of  death  and 
interment.  A  young  officer  was  in  uniform,  as  if  about  to 
appear  on  parade — an  elderly  gentleman  dressed  for  a  ball — 
a  young  girl  whose  half-open  mouth  and  eyes  showed  the 
struggle  with  which  soul  and  body  had  parted,  was  crowned 
with  flowers,  and  a  long  white  veil  lay  in  white  folds  over 


A   CHANGE.  391 

her  bare  arms  and  white  dress,  reaching  almost  to  the  satin 
shoes  which  covered  the  stiff,  cold  feet  as  they  protruded 
beyond  the  coffin  in  hideous  rigidity. 

Mr.  Rosenberg  was  now  scarcely  recognisable ;  his  livid 
features  were  contracted,  and  not  a  trace  remained  of  that 
beauty  for  which  he  had  been  so  remarkable.  Hamilton 
turned  away,  but  again  his  eyes  encountered  death.  Another 
and  lighter  room  was  filled  with  the  corpses  of  poorer  per- 
sons and  children  ;  the  latter  indeed  seemed  to  sleep,  and  on 
them  the  wreaths  of  flowers  did  not  appear  misplaced. 

Hildegarde  seemed  unable  to  tear  herself  from  the  spot, 
nor  did  Hamilton  feel  disposed  to  disturb  her  until  he  per- 
ceived a  number  of  persons  hurrying  to  and  fro,  and  torches 
glimmering  in  the  churchyard  ;  he  then  asked  a  woman,  who 
appeared  with  a  bunch  of  keys  in  her  hand,  if  there  was  to 
be  a  funeral. 

"  I  believe  the  Countess  Raimund  is  to  be  buried  this 
evening,"  she  answered. 

"Not  one  of  these?"  cried  Hamilton,  pointing  to  the 
place  where  Hildegarde  stood. 

"  Yes  ;  just  there  beside  the  gentleman  who  died  of  cholera 
— that  old  lady  in  black  satin  with  her  mouth  wide  open — 
it  was  shameful  negligence  of  those  about  her  not  to  close 
it  before  the  jaw  stiffened." 

"  Hildegarde,"  said  Hamilton,  drawing  her  arm  within  his, 
"  you  must  now  leave  this  place.     There  is  to  be  a  funeral." 

"  I  know — I  heard,"  she  said,  allowing  herself  to  be  led 
away,  with  her  head  still  turned  towards  the  chamber  of 
death.  "  The  only  precedence  which  the  Countess  Raimund 
can  now  claim  of  my  father,"  she  added,  bitterly,  "  is  that 
of  first  descending  into  the  grave !  How  absurd  all  pride 
appears  when  standing  at  the  threshold  of  a  charnel-house  !" 

"  Very  true,"  said  Hamilton,  "  but  how  seldom  the  proud 
— how  seldom  anyone  thinks  of  such  a  place.  Where  are 
you  going  now  ?" 

"  To  my  mother's  grave." 

He  made  no  opposition,  for  he  hoped  that  some  sudden 
recollection  would  put  an  end  to  the  unnatural  calmness  of 
her  manner,  and  was,  for  this  reason,  not  sorry  to  perceive 
that  the  grave-digger  had  already  been  at  work ;  the  place 
was  measured,  and  some  shovelfuls  of  earth  had  been  thrown 
over  the  grave  she  came  to  visit. 


392  THE  INITIALS. 

She  seemed  for  a  few  minutes  to  pray,  and  then  sat  down 
beside  the  stone  cross,  and  began  assiduously  to  arrange  the 
leaves  of  the  still  green,  though  withered,  ivy  wreaths  which 
she  had  placed  on  it  in  November. 

"  I  am  trying  your  patience  unpardonably,"  she  observed 
at  length,  rising  from  her  cheerless  occupation,  "  and  it  is  all 
to  no  purpose." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  I  expected  to  feel  something  like  sorrow  for  my  father's 
loss.  You  will  be  shocked  when  I  tell  you  that  I  cannot  feel 
anything  resembling  it.  Before  I  came  here  I  thought  my 
odious  apathy  was  caused  by  doubts  of  the  reality  of  his 
death — those  doubts  are  all  removed — I  know  that  he  is  dead ; 
that  in  a  few  hours  he  will  be  in  the  grave,  and  moulder 
beside  my  mother's  skeleton,  and  I  do  not,  cannot  feel  any- 
thing like  grief!" 

"  You  are  too  much  stunned  by  the  suddenness,"  began 
Hamilton. 

"  Not  so,"  said  Hildegarde,  quietly,  "  I  assure  you  I  never 
felt  more  perfectly  contented  than  at  this  moment ;  were  it 
not  that  I  shudder  at  my  total  want  of  sensibility." 

"  If  it  be  insensibility,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  but  you  have 
so  much  decision,  so  much  firmness  of  character,  that " 

"  No,  no,"  she  cried,  hastily  interrupting  him  ;  "  this  is  not 
firmness.  Do  not  imagine  that  I  feel  emotion  which  I  am 
endeavouring  to  conceal,  or  suppressing  tears  ready  to  flow ; 
I  only  feel  an  almost  irresistible  inclination  to  walk  or  run 
without  stopping !" 

"  I  am  surprised  that  you  do  not  find  yourself  completely 
exhausted,"  said  Hamilton.  "  It  would  certainly  be  more 
natural,  when  one  takes  into  consideration  that  you  have  not 
slept  for  three  nights,  or  eaten  anything  for  nearly  three 
days !" 

"  And  you  also  have  passed  three  sleepless  nights,"  said 
Hildegarde,  "  and  without  the  hopes  and  fears  which  made 
the  want  of  rest  imperceptible  to  me.  I  ought  to  have  re- 
membered that  sooner." 

"  I  was  not  thinking  of  myself,"  cried  Hamilton.  "  And 
your  hopes  and  fears,"  he  added,  in  a  lower  voice,  "  I  have 
most  truly  participated.  Will  you  never  believe  that  your 
joys  are  my  joys,  your  sorrows  my  sorrows  ?" 

He  waited  in  vain  for  an   answer;    Hildegarde   leaned 


A   CHANGE.  393 

heavily  on  his  arm,  and  breathed  quickly ;  he  at  length 
caught  a  glimpse  of  her  face,  and  was  so  shocked  at  the 
convulsive  workings  of  her  features  that  he  beckoned  to  one 
of  the  numerous  hackney  coachmen  returning  from  the 
churchyard,  and  silently  placed  his  unresisting  companion  in 
the  carriage.  She  sighed  so  deeply,  and  then  gasped  so  fear- 
fully for  breath,  that  he  let  down  all  the  windows,  and  ex- 
perienced the  most  heart-felt  pleasure  when  at  length  she 
burst  into  a  passion  of  tears. 

She  wept  unrestrainedly  until  they  reached  home,  but, 
even  on  the  stairs  as  they  ascended,  Hamilton  perceived  a 
return  of  her  former  unnaturally  composed  manner. 

During  the  next  day  Madame  Rosenberg  was  almost  con- 
stantly surrounded  by  her  friends  and  acquaintance.  Towards 
evening  Crescenz  drew  her  sister  aside,  and  whispered  :  "  Oh, 
my  dear  Hildegarde,  this  is  an  irreparable  loss  for  you !" 

"  Irreparable  indeed !"  said  Hildegarde,  moving  her  head 
dejectedly  ;  "  I  wish  it  had  pleased  God  to  let  me  die  instead 
of  my  father — few  would  have  mourned  for  me  !" 

"  I'm  sure,  dear,  I  don't  know  what  is  to  become  of  you 
now !  I  can't  bear  to  think  of  it,  but  I  suppose  you  will 
have  to  apply  to  Mademoiselle  Hortense  to  get  you  a  situa- 
tion as  governess ;  you  know  she  promised  to  do  so  whenever 
you  wished  it " 

"  I  know,"  said  Hildegarde,  rubbing  her  forehead  with  her 
hand,  and  biting  her  under  lip  with  an  expression  of  great 
distress.  "  Let  us  talk  about  that  some  other  time — I  cannot 
think  yet." 

"  It  was  Lina  Berger  who  talked  about  it ;  she  said  she 
was  sure  that  mamma  would  not  propose  your  remaining  with 
her,  and  Major  Stultz  says  that " 

"  Crescenz,"  said  Hildegarde  with  some  impatience,  "  say 
what  you  please  to  me  from  yourself,  I  am  ready  to  hear  you ; 
but  do  not  torture  me  now  with  the  opinions  of  either  Lina 
Berger  or  Major  Stultz." 

"  Well,  to  be  sure !  And  how  often  have  you  said  that 
you  considered  him  a  sensible  man !" 

"  I  have  not  changed  my  opinion,  but  as  I  know  he  can 
feel  no  sort  of  interest  in  anything  that  concerns  me,  I  do  no1*; 
wish  to  hear  what  he  has  said." 

"  Ah,  I  see  Mr.  Hamilton  has  been  telling  you — he  smiled 
so  strangely  when  I  was  speaking  to  him  yesterday,  that  I 


394  THE  INITIALS. 

was  sure  he  would  tell  you  everything — but  indeed  I  wished 
to  have  had  you  with  me  directly ;  it  was  my  first  thought, 
but  Blazius  said  that  what  occurred  at — at  Seon — you  know, 
made  it  quite  impossible  !" 

"  Mr.  Hamilton  told  me  nothing  of  all  this,"  said  Hilde- 
garde.  "  I  thank  you  for  your  kind  intentions,  dear  Cre- 
scenz;  I  can  imagine  that  Major  Stultz's  refusal  to  comply 
with  your  wishes  has  pained  you ;  but  you  may  set  your 
mind  at  rest,  for  I  feel  even  more  intensely  than  he  can,  the 
impossibility  of  my  ever  becoming  an  inmate  of  his  house." 

"  Well,"  said  Crescenz,  apparently  greatly  relieved  ;  "  I'm 
sure  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,  for  though  he  talked  very 
sensibly,  and  all  that,  this  morning,  I  could  not  help  crying, 
and  was  quite  uncomfortable  at  the  idea  of  speaking  to  you 
about  it ;  I  was  afraid  you  might  think  that  now  I  am  mar- 
ried, I  love  you  less." 

"  Four  days  is  too  short  a  time  to  work  such  a  change,  I 
hope,"  said  Hildegarde,  with  a  melancholy  smile ;  then  sud- 
denly seizing  her  sister's  hands,  she  exclaimed,"  Oh,  Crescenz, 
love  me  !  Love  me  still — as  much  as  you  can — think  how  I 
shall  miss  my  father's  affection  !" 

"  Very  true,  indeed,  as  Blazius  says ;  my  father  bestowed 
his  whole  affection  on  you,  and  quite  overlooked  me !" 

Hildegarde  gazed  at  her  sister  for  a  moment  in  silence,  and 
then  turned  away  with  tearful  eyes.  She  saw  that  Crescenz 
would  soon  be  lost  to  her  forever.  Major  Stultz  already 
directed  her  thoughts  and  words,  as  completely  as  she  her- 
self had  done  when  they  were  at  school  together.  She 
watched  her  returning  to  their  step-mother's  room,  and  then 
walked  slowly  towards  the  door  leading  to  the  passage. 
Hamilton  was  standing  at  the  stove — had  heard  the  sisters' 
conversation,  and  filled  with  compassion  for  her  deserted 
position,  he  seized  her  hand  as  she  passed,  and  passionately 
pressed  it  to  his  lips  without  speaking.  When  she  raised  her 
heavy  eyelids  to  look  at  him,  she  saw  that  his  eyes  were 
suffused  with  tears. 

"  I — thank  you — for  your  sympathy,"  she  murmured  with 
trembling  lips,  as  she  withdrew  her  hand,  and  hurried  out  of 
the  room. 


THE  ARRANGEMENT.  395 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE   ARRANGEMENT. 

After  the  interment  of  Mr.  Rosenberg,  some  time  passed 
over  in  melancholy  monotony.  Madame  Rosenberg  employed 
herself  principally  in  the  inspection  and  arrangement  of 
papers  ;  Hildegarde  wandered  about  the  house,  endeavouring 
in  an  absent  manner  to  make  herself  useful.  She  even  tried 
to  assist  the  new  cook,  but  her  efforts  were  so  entirely  unsuc- 
cessful, that  her  mother  begged  she  would  desist,  as  she  had 
no  sort  of  talent  in  that  line. 

Mr.  Rosenberg  had  been  a  kind  husband  and  an  affection- 
ate father  ;  Hamilton  had  invariably  found  him  an  agreeable 
companion,  but  his  constant  occupation  in  his  office,  and  an 
inveterate  habit  of  going  out  every  evening,  had  made  his 
society  an  occurrence  of  such  rarity,  that  Hamilton  in  a  short 
time  became  quite  resigned  to  his  loss ;  in  fact,  but  for  the 
mourning  dresses,  Hildegarde's  unconquerable  dejection,  and 
the  never-failing  tears  of  Madame  Rosenberg,  as  she  circum- 
stantially related  to  every  visitor  the  history  of  her  husband's 
illness  and  death,  he  would  soon  have  forgotten  that  he  had 
ever  existed.  He  attended  the  college  lectures,  studied 
German  with  his  friend  Biedermann,  rode,  walked,  in  short, 
continued  all  his  former  occupations,  with  the  exception  of 
his  quarrels  with  Hildegarde — these  had  now  entirely  ceased  j 
he  obeyed  her  slightest  directions,  anticipated  her  wishes  with 
a  sort  of  quiet  devotion  so  completely  directed  to  her  alone, 
but  so  unobtrusive,  that  Madame  Rosenberg  failed  to  observe 
more  than  that  they  had  learned  to  live  peaceably  in  the  same 
house  together,  and  praised  them  both  more  than  once  for 
having  ceased  their  silly  and  useless  quarrels. 

One  day,  about  the  beginning  of  April,  Hildegarde  re- 
called him  just  as  he  was  about  to  leave  the  house,  saying 
that  her  mother  wished  to  speak  to  him ;  he  laughingly 
demanded  if  the  probably  not  very  important  communication 
could  not  be  deferred  to  another  day,  as  he  had  promised 


396  THE  INITIALS. 

to  meet  some  friends  at  Tambosi's  in  the  Hofgarten.  Hil- 
degarde  gravely  shook  her  head,  and  said  she  believed  her 
mother  was  waiting  for  him. 

"  What  a  bore  !"  he  exclaimed,  striding  along  the  passage  ; 
"  I  suppose  I  shall  be  detained  half  an  hour  to  hear  a  lecture 
about  having  forgotten  to  extinguish  the  candles  last  night, 
or  having  burned  my  boots  on  the  stove !  I  really  wish, 
Hildegarde,  you  would  give  your  new  cook  instructions  about 
my  room — it  is  not  at  all  necessary  that  your  mother  should 
be  informed  every  time  an  accident  occurs  there." 

Madame  Rosenberg  was  sitting  at  an  old-fashioned  scru- 
toire  furnished  with  innumerable  diminutive  secret  and 
apparent  drawers ;  she  had  a  small  packet  of  bills  beside 
her,  and  various  heaps  of  money  before  her.  When  Hamil- 
ton entered,  she  immediately  moved  back  her  chair,  and 
pointed  to  another  beside  her,  which  she  wished  him  to 
occupy.  Now  that  Hamilton  had  already  become  a  little 
spoiled  by  Madame  Rosenberg's  indulgence,  praises,  and 
deference  to  his  opinion,  he  had  learned  to  like  her  and 
even  overlook  her  vulgarity ;  but  in  proportion  as  his  affec- 
tion had  increased  his  respect  had  decreased,  and  like  the 
spoiled  son  of  a  weak  mother,  he  now  stood  leaning  against 
the  door,  refusing  with  an  impatient  gesture  the  offered 
chair,  and  murmuring  some  unintelligible  words  about  busi- 
ness and  disappointments. 

"  I  shall  not  detain  you  long,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg, 
drawing  out  of  her  pocket  an  enormous  linen  handkerchief, 
and  wiping  away  two  large  tears,  which  were  obtrusively 
rolling  down  her  cheeks.  "  I  ought  to  have  spoken  to  you 
long  ago,  but  I  have  been  thinking  over  and  over  the  means 
of  rendering  my  communication  less  disagreeable." 

"  So,"  cried  Hamilton,  closing  the  door,  and  advancing 
towards  her,  "  so  it  is  not  about  the  boots  you  are  going  to 
lecture  me?" 

"  No,"  she  replied,  half  laughing,  "  though  I  must  say 

») 

"  I  know  all  you  are  going  to  say,"  cried  Hamilton,  laugh- 
ing, "  extravagant  habits,  horrible  smell,  danger  of  burning 
the  house,  and  all  that !  Suppose  it  said — I  am  very  con- 
trite indeed,  and  promise  not  to  burn  either  shirt  or  boots 
for  three  weeks  to  come,  and  not  at  all  when  the  weather  is 
warmer  and  the  stove  is  not  heated." 


THE  ARRANGEMENT.  397 

"In  three  weeks,  and  when  the  weather  is  warmer,  we 
shall  be  too  far  apart  for  me  either  to  lecture  or  detain  you 
in  my  room  against  your  will !" 

"  My  dear  Madame  Rosenberg,"  exclaimed  Hamilton, 
springing  towards  her,  and  not  only  seating  himself  on  the 
previously  disdained  chair,  but  drawing  it  so  close  to  hers 
that  she  involuntarily  drew  back  ;  "  my  dear  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, you  surely  do  not  mean  that  I  must  leave  you?" 

"  I  do,  indeed,"  she  answered,  nodding  her  head  slowly 
and  despondingly,  and  again  the  monstrous  handkerchief  was 
put  in  requisition.  "  I'm  sure,"  she  added,  somewhat  sur- 
prised at  the  varying  emotions  depicted  on  his  countenance, 
"  I'm  sure  it's  very  kind  of  you  to  be  so  sorry  to  leave  us — 
I  thought  the  loss  was  wholly  on  our  side." 

"  I  have  spent  seven  of  the  happiest  months  of  my  life 
in  your  house,"  began  Hamilton. 

"  Six  months  and  one  week,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg, 
interrupting  him  ;  "  you  were  three  weeks  at  Havard's,  you 
know,  and  when  we  are  settling  our  account  the  three  weeks 
must  be  deducted,  for,  as  poor  dear  Franz  said " 

"  I  should  like  to  know  your  intentions  with  respect  to 
Hildegarde,"  said  Hamilton,  who  had  not  heard  one  word 
of  the  explanation. 

"  Hildegarde  goes  with  me  to  the  Iron  Works,  as  people 
now  call  them  ;  poor  Franz  was  so  uneasy  about  her  on  his 
death-bed,  that  I  promised  him  she  should  never  leave  my 
house  excepting  with  her  own  free  will,  and  always  have  the 
power  of  returning  to  it  when  she  chose,  and  that  she  should 
receive  on  her  marriage  a  trousseau  in  every  respect  like  her 
sister's." 

"  This  promise  must  have  been  a  great  relief  to  his  mind," 
observed  Hamilton. 

"  It  was,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  and  the  tears  flowed 
fast  as  she  added :  "  I  would  have  given  him  everything  1 
had  in  the  world  to  have  made  him  contented  in  his  last 
moments.  We  lived  so  happily  together  during  the  twelve 
years  which  we  passed  in  this  house.  I  cannot  remain  here 
any  longer — the  house — the  furniture — Munich  itself  has 
become  odious  to  me.  I  intend  to  return  to  my  father. 
Fritz  will  be  made  a  gentleman,  as  his  father  wished  it,  at 
the  military  school.  Gustle  must  be  his  grandfather's  suc< 
lessor  at  the  Iron  Works ;  he  has,  at  all  events,  no  great 

.34 


398  THE  INITIALS. 

love  of  learning ;  and  Peppy  is  too  young  to  be  taken  into 
consideration  at  present." 

"  Take  me  with  you  to  the  Iron  Works,"  said  Hamilton, 
abruptly. 

Madame  Rosenberg  looked  at  him  as  if  she  did  not  quite 
comprehend. 

"  Take  me  with  you  to  the  Iron  Works,"  he  repeated. 

She  shook  her  head.  "  It  is  no  place  for  you,"  she  said, 
steadily,  "  nor  is  my  father,  though  an  excellent  man,  a  com- 
panion for  you.  Your  parents  would  be  dissatisfied,  and 
with  reason,  were  you  to  bury  yourself  in  an  insignificant 
village,  just  so  many  miles  from  Munich  as  to  prevent  your 
being  able  to  avail  yourself  of  the  advantages  which  you 
told  me  you  had  found  here  for  the  completion  of  your 
education." 

Hamilton  felt  the  justness  of  her  remark,  and  did  not 
attempt  to  contradict  it ;  he  had,  however,  no  intention  of 
quitting  a  family  of  which  Hildegarde  was  still  to  be  a 
member ;  nor  did  he  much  concern  himself  about  the  satis- 
faction or  dissatisfaction  of  his  parents  just  at  that  moment. 
He  understood  Madame  Rosenberg  perfectly,  and  changed 
his  tactics.  Throwing  himself  back  in  his  chair,  he  said, 
with  apparent  resignation :  "  Well,  I  suppose  I  must  spend 
the  ensuing  five  months  at  Havard's,  that's  all !" 

"  At  Havard's !  What  an  idea  !"  exclaimed  Madame 
Rosenberg  ;  "  to  be  giving  suppers  and  drinking  champagne 
every  night !     I  never  heard  of  anything  so  absurd !" 

"  Why,  where  else  can  I  go  ?  I  cannot  well  take  a  lodging 
and  engage  a  cook  and  housemaid  for  myself,  can  I?" 

"  No,"  replied  Madame  Rosenberg,  half  laughing,  "  not 
exactly  that — but  a  lodging,  or  a  family  might  be  found. 
Suppose,  for  instance,  that  Madame  Berger  should  have  pro- 
posed taking  you.  in  case  the  Doctor  have  no  objection,  eh?" 

"  I  am  sure  I  have  none,"  said  Hamilton,  vainly  endeav- 
ouring to  suppress  a  smile  as  he  added,  "  she  is  one  of  the 
prettiest  little  women  I  ever  saw,  and  with  time  and  oppor- 
tunity I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  fall  desperately  in  love  with 
her.  You  will  not  be  there  to  sustain  me  with  your  good 
advice — and — a — but  at  least  you  will  be  answerable  for  the 
consequences,  as  you  will  have  led  me  into  the  temptation  !" 

"  Good  heavens  !  Not  for  all  the  world  would  I  take  such 
a  responsibility  upon   myself!"  cried   Madame  Rosenberg, 


THE  ARRANGEMENT.  399 

with  a  look  of  amazement ;  "  Lina,  too,  so  giddy  and  thought- 
less, and  the  Doctor  never  at  home !  It  would  never  do,  I 
see.  But  who  would  have  imagined  that  you  would  think 
of  such  a  thing  at  your  age !" 

"  I  am  just  at  the  age  to  act  more  from  impulse  than 
reason,  and  I  consider  you  too  much  my  friend  not  to  speak 
candidly  to  you.  If  Major  Stultz  were  not  so  insufferably 
jealous,  you  could  make  me  over  to  Crescenz — my  regard 
for  her  is  really  of  the  most  blameless  description,  and  will 
never  be  otherwise." 

"  Oh,  the  Major  would  never  listen  to  such  a  proposal." 

"  Then  I  have  no  alternative  but  Havard's — Havard's  or 
your  house,"  he  continued,  taking  her  large  hard  hand  and 
pressing  it  fervently ;  "  dear  Madame  Rosenberg,  let  me  go 
with  you ;  I  have  a  sort  of  presentiment  that  it  is  the  only 
means  of  keeping  me  out  of  mischief ;  besides,  I  can  ride  or 
drive  into  Munich  two  or  three  times  a  week." 

"  But  I  have  no  room  for  you,"  she  cried,  with  a  look  of 
distress ;  for  the  earnestness  of  his  manner  had  begun  to 
move  her. 

"  You  must  make  room  for  me,"  urged  Hamilton. 

"  And  as  to  your  horses  and  Hans " 

"  Oh,  I  can  easily  find  quarters  for  them  in  the  neighbour- 
hood." 

"  You  will  have  to  sleep  in  a  room  without  a  stove " 

11 1  don't  want  a  stove  in  summer." 

"  Well,  then,"  she  said  hesitatingly,  "  if  you  think  that 
you  can  be  satisfied  with  the  accommodation  which  I  have 
at  my  disposal,  you  can  accompany  us  to  the  country. 
Should  our  manner  of  living,  or  what  I  fear  more,  my 
father,  not  suit  you,  you  can  leave  us,  you  know ;  we  will 
part  friends  at  all  events." 

"  Don't  talk  or  think  of  parting,"  cried  Hamilton,  gayly. 
"  I  am  sure  I  shall  find  your  father  a  most  worthy  person — 
we  shall  get  on  famously  together.  When  do  you  leave? 
It  will  be  quite  delightful  to  breathe  the  country  air.  I 
assure  you  I  feel  already  impatient  to  be  off." 

"  On  the  24th  I  purpose  leaving  Munich,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg,  once  more  drawing  her  chair  towards  her  scru- 
toire,  and  beginning  to  count  her  little  heaps  of  money. 

"  Are  those  Iron  Works  romantically  situated  ?"  asked 
Hamilton. 


400  TBE  INITIALS. 

"  N — o.  They  are  on  the  high  road  at  the  end  of  the 
village ;  but  there  is  a  fine  old  oak  wood  quite  close  to  us." 

"  Ah  !  an  oak  wood,"  repeated  Hamilton,  thoughtfully. 

"  We  have  also  a  garden  and  orchard  behind  the  house ; 
the  smoke  from  the  forge  indeed  spoils  the  flowers  greatly, 
but  there  is  an  arbour  under  the  trees  where  we  can  break- 
fast, and  drink  coffee  after  dinner,  in  summer — the  arbour  is 
quite  covered  with  roses  and  honeysuckles." 

"  Ah,  that  is  delightful  !"  cried  Hamilton,  in  vision  im- 
agining himself  sitting  with  Hildegarde  in  the  rose  and 
honeysuckle  arbour. 

"  But  you  are  forgetting  your  appointment,"  observed 
Madame  Rosenberg,  who  had  been  in  vain  endeavouring  to 
correct  a  fault  in  her  reckoning. 

"  A  civil  way  of  telling  me  to  leave  you  in  peace,"  said 
Hamilton,  laughing. 

"  Not  at  all,  I  assure  you.  If  you  have  really  no  appoint^ 
ment,  I  shall  be  glad  to  talk  over  my  plans  with  you." 

"  I  had  an  appointment,"  he  said,  looking  at  his  watch, 
"  for  which  I  am  too  late.  I  have  another,  for  which  I  am 
a  few  minutes  too  early." 

"  A  few  minutes,"  repeated  Madame  Rosenberg.  "  That 
will  never  do  for  me.  In  your  '  few  minutes'  I  can  only 
inform  you  that  you  must  go  for  a  few  days  at  least  to 
Havard's,  until  I  have  got  everything  in  order.  Hilde- 
garde and  the  children  I  intend  to  pack  off  the  day  after 
to-morrow." 

"  Oh,  pack  me  off,  too,  with  Hil with  the  children," 

cried  Hamilton,  eagerly.  "  I  wish  you  would  consider  me 
really  as  one  of  them." 

"Well,  I  am  sure  I  have  always  done  so  since  you  have 
been  with  me.  Poor  Franz  often  said  I  took  great  liberties 
with  you." 

u  I  cannot  remember  anything  of  the  kind." 

"  Why,  have  you  forgotten  the  Sunday  Fritz  brose  the 
window  in  the  drawing-room,  when  you  were  teaching  him 
to  box  ?" 

"  I  remember  you  boxed  his  ears,  poor  fellow,  which  he 
certainly  did  not  deserve,  as  he  was  not  really  the  cause  of 
the  mischief.  It  was  I  who  pushed  him  against  the  window, 
and,  if  I  recollect  right,  both  Mr.  Rosenberg  and  I  pro- 
tested  " 


TEE  ARRANGEMENT.  401 

"  Yes,  you  protested,  and  that  made  me  still  more  angry ; 
but  if  you  don't  remember  what  I  said  to  you,  so  much  the 
better.  Franz  said  he  believed  you  never  heard  it,  as  you 
were  laughing  with  Madame  Berger,  and  I  was  afterwards 
very  sorry  for  having  said  so  much,  especially  about  the 
rough  English  plays." 

Hamilton  smiled.  "  I  suppose,"  he  said,  turning  towards 
the  door,  "  Hans  may  pack  up  my  chattels ;  you  will  send 
me  to  the  country  with  the  children." 

"No,  no,  no,"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg,  hastily,  "that 
will  never  do  ;  I  must  write  to  my  father  and  explain.  If 
he  knew  the  sort  of  person  you  are — he  would  never  consent 
to  your  becoming  an  inmate  of  his  house !" 

"  Am  I,  then,  so  very  disagreeable?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Quite  the  contrary — but  you  do  not  understand  my 
father.  In  short,  it  is  better  to  tell  you  at  once — why  should 
I  be  ashamed  to  say  it?  He  was  a  common  journeyman 
smith — so  extremely  industrious,  of  such  enormous  strength, 
and  with  so  much  talent  for  mechanics,  that  he  made  him- 
self not  only  useful,  but  altogether  indispensable  to  my 
grandfather,  who,  rather  than  lose  him,  gave  him  his 
daughter  in  marriage.  Our  forge  became  in  time  an  iron 
work,  and  he  is  now  the  richest  man  far  and  wide.  To  see 
him,  you  would  not  suppose  so ;  he  is  neither  changed  in 
manner  nor  dress "     Madame  Rosenberg  paused. 

"Well?"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Well !"  she  repeated,  a  little  impatiently.  "  It  is  plain 
enough,  I  think,  that  such  a  man  will  not  suit  you — or  you 
suit  him." 

"  I  don't  know  that,"  said  Hamilton.  "  A  man  who  has 
turned  a  forge  into  an  iron  work,  and  who  from  having 
nothing  has  become  rich  by  honest  means,  must  be  possessed 
of  good  sense  and  good  talents,  too.  As  to  his  appearance 
or  dress — a  man's  coat " 

"  That's  just  what  I  am  afraid  of,"  cried  Madame  Rosen- 
berg. 

"  Do  you  think  I  attach  much  importance  to  a  coat  ?  I 
assure  you  that  I  am  determined  to  like  your  father  with  and 
without  a  coat." 

"  I  will  write  him  that,  and  it  will  at  once  put  an  end  to 
our  difficulties,  for  if  I  say  that  he  will  never  imagine  you  are 

so  fastidious " 

aa  34* 


402  THE  INITIALS. 

"  I  don't  quite   understand "  said  Hamilton  with  a 

puzzled  air. 

"  It  would  never  do — you  see — were  we  to  inconvenience 
him,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  or  force  him  to  change  his 
mode  of  life.  He  likes  to  work  and  dine  in  his  shirt-sleeves, 
and  is  not  over  particular  how  his  meals  are  served — this  I 
can  change,  perhaps,  but  against  the  shirt-sleeves  I  can  do 
nothing,  and  I  know  it  is  very  vulgar ;  Franz  told  me  so 
often  enough." 

"  I  have  no  sort  of  objection  to  his  shirt-sleeves,"  said 
Hamilton,  "  provided  he  allow  me  to  wear  a  coat.  "What 
matter !  If  this  be  the  reason  why  I  should  not  go  with 
Hildegarde  and  the  children  the  day  after  to-morrow,  I  think 
you  may  waive  all  ceremony  and  tell  your  father  that  I 
belong  to  the  family.  You  have  made  an  agreement  to  keep 
me  for  six  months  longer." 

"  This  is  a  good  idea,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  laughing. 
"  I  will  write  to  him  to-morrow,  and  I  dare  say  I  shall  have 
an  answer  in  a  day  or  two." 

Hamilton  perceived  he  had  gained  every  concession  he 
could  reasonably  demand,  and  left  the  room  quietly  and 
thoughtfully. 

Hildegarde  had  prepared  her  brothers  for  their  afternoon 
walk,  and  was  waiting  with  some  indications  of  impatience 
for  his  appearance.  He  had  been  forbidden  to  walk  with 
her,  but  had  established  a  sort  of  right  to  be  informed  where 
she  intended  to  go — that  he  should  ride  near  her,  or  at  least 
become  visible  during  her  walk,  was  a  sort  of  tacit  agreement. 

"  The  Xymphenburg  road,"  cried  Gustle,  springing  towards 
him.     "  May  I  have  one  of  your  canes  ?" 

"  And  may  I,  too,  have  one  to  ride  upon  ?"  asked  Peppy. 

11  Yes,"  said  Hamilton,  "  Hildegarde  will  show  you  those 
you  may  take." 

"  Oh,  come,  Hildegarde,"  cried  Gustle,  pulling  her  rather 
roughly ;  "  come  and  choose  the  canes  for  us.  I  must  have 
the  little  black  one  with  the  horse's  head  on  it." 

Rut  Hildegarde  showed  no  inclination  to  move. 

"  You  were  a  long  time  in  my  mother's  room,"  she  said  at 
length,  with  some  embarrassment. 

"  Not  longer  than  was  necessary  to  make  her  consent  to 
take  me  with  her  to  the  country.  Oh,  Hildegarde,  what 
pleasant  walks  we  shall  have  in  the  oak  wood,  and  how  much 


THE  DIFFICULTY  REMOVED,  403 

happier  we  shall  be  there  than  here.  Were  you  ever  at  these 
Iron  Works  ?" 

"  Not  since  I  was  a  child,"  answered  Hildegarde,  smiling 
as  she  had  not  smiled  since  her  father's  death  ;  "  I  remember 
the  noise  of  the  hammers  was  incessant,  and  the  house  shook 
a  good  deal,  and  the  white  window- curtains  were  very  soon 
soiled." 

"  We  shall  get  used  to  the  hammers,  I  dare  say,"  said 
Hamilton,  laughing.  "  As  to  the  house  shaking,  that  must 
be  imagination ;  and  the  window-curtains  can  be  easily 
changed,  you  know." 

"  But  mamma  said  nothing  in  the  world  would  induce  her 
to  take  you  with  us.     How  did  you  persuade  her?" 

"  I  can  tell  you  all  that  when  I  return  home.  Excuse  me 
as  well  as  you  can,  should  I  be  late  for  supper.     Good-by." 

"  Where  are  you  going?"  asked  Hildegarde. 

He  whispered  a  few  words,  and  then  hurried  downstairs. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE   DIFFICULTY   REMOVED. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening,  and  Hamilton  had  not  yet 
returned.  Madame  Rosenberg  began  to  get  a  little  uneasy, 
and  very  impatient,  when  fortunately  Madame  Berger  arrived 
to  complain  bitterly  of  her  husband,  who  had  declined  re- 
ceiving Mr.  Hamilton  as  an  inmate  of  his  house  on  any  terms. 
"  He  says  I  am  too  young — and  he  is  too  often  absent — and 
people  might  talk  !    Did  you  ever  hear  anything  so  absurd  ?" 

"  I  believe  he  is  right,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  you  are 
too  young " 

"  I  wonder  it  never  occurred  to  you  that  your  step- 
daughters were  still  younger!"  cried  Madame  Berger,  glancing 
towards  Hildegarde,  who  was  sitting  at  the  window  looking 
into  the  street. 

"  The  case  is  quite  different,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg ; 
"  we  are  a  large  family,  and  where  the  father  and  mother  are 
in  a  house " 


404  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Pshaw  !"  cried  Madame  Berger,  impatiently ;  "  Cressy 
liked  him,  for  all  that,  better  than  she  will  ever  like  her 
husband,  I  suspect !" 

"  Who  told  you  that?"  cried  Madame  Rosenberg,  with  a 
look  of  amazement. 

"  My  own  eyes,"  replied  Madame  Berger,  with  a  slight 
laugh  ;  "  and  not  Hildegarde,"  she  added,  in  answer  to  a  look 
of  suspicion  which  Madame  Rosenberg  had  cast  on  her  step- 
daughter. "  Believe  me,  neither  the  presence  of  father  nor 
mother  can  prevent  these  things." 

"  Crescenz  is  most  happily  married,"  began  Madame 
Rosenberg. 

"  So  am  I — but  I  preferred  Theodor  Biedermann  to  the 
Doctor,  as  you  well  know.  You  need  not  look  so  astonished 
at  hearing  me  speak  the  truth,  Hildegarde.  I  vow  one  would 
almost  imagine  you  heard  this  for  the  first  time !  As  if 
Cressy  had  not  betrayed  me  long  ago,  not  to  mention  Made- 
moiselle Hortense,  who  of  course  used  me  as  a  scarecrow  for 
the  whole  school !  Excepting,  perhaps,  the  dear,  good  old 
Doctor,"  she  continued,  "  there  is  not  one  of  my  acquaint- 
ances who  does  not  know  that  I  nearly  cried  my  eyes  out 
about  Theodor." 

"  And  is  it  possible  you  have  not  told  Dr.  Berger?"  cried 
Hildegarde,  turning  quickly  round.  "  Did  you  not  feel 
bound  in  honour " 

"  No,  mademoiselle,"  replied  Madame  Berger,  sharply ; 
"  I  did  not  feel  myself  bound  in  honour  deliberately  to  de- 
stroy my  domestic  peace — I  leave  it  to  you  to  make  such  a 
confession  when  you  are  going  to  be  married,  if  you  think 
it  necessary !" 

"  I  am  afraid  Hildegarde  is  not  likely  to  be  married  at  all, 
now  that  we  are  going  to  live  at  the  Iron  Works,"  sighed 
Madame  Rosenberg.  "  The  only  neighbour  we  have  is  the 
Forster,  and  he " 

"  Lord  bless  you  !"  cried  Madame  Berger,  "  Hildegarde 
would  never  look  at  a  Forster  if  he  were  not  by  chance  a 
count  or  baron.  Had  Mr.  Hamilton  only  been  a  Milor,  she 
would  never  have  thought  of  quarrelling  with  him,  I  can 
tell  you  !" 

"  Caroline  ! — madame  !"  exclaimed  Hildegarde,  with  a  ve- 
hemence that  made  Madame  Berger  retreat  a  few  steps  from 
the   window,  while   she   cried,   with    affected   fear,  "  Good 


THE  DIFFICULTY  REMOVED.  405 

heavens  !  I  had  no  idea  you  could  get  into  a  passion  about 
him!  And  here  he  is,"  she  added,  springing  again  to  the 
window  as  she  heard  the  sound  of  a  horse's  hoofs  on  the 
pavement ;  "  here  he  is,  and  I  suspect  there  are  few  Milors 
to  be  compared  to  him ;  he  certainly  is  the  handsomest 
creature  I  ever  saw !  An  ideal  of  an  Englishman !  Un 
amour  /" 

"  Lina  !"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  reproachfully,  "  you 
must  forgive  my  observing  that  this  language  is  not  proper 
for  a  young  married  woman." 

"  Ah,  bah !  as  if  I  were  serious !  Have  you  forgotten 
that  you  used  to  say  I  always  spoke  without  thinking? 
Now,  Hiidegarde  there  thinks  without  speaking,  perhaps  !" 

"  Not  of  Mr.  Hamilton!"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  "for 
she  did  not  even  look  out  of  the  window  at  your  amour,  or 
whatever  you  call  him.  Hiidegarde,  go  and  tell  him  we 
have  waited  nearly  two  hours  for  him,  that  supper  is  ready, 
and  that  I  beg  he  will  come  just  as  he  is,  and  not  make  an 
evening  toilet  for  once  in  a  way." 

She  had  not  time  to  deliver  her  message,  for  Hamilton 
entered  the  room  with  unusual  precipitation,  and  handed 
Madame  Rosenberg  an  enormous,  ill-folded,  long-wafered 
letter. 

"  From  my  father  !"  she  exclaimed,  with  surprise. 

"Yes;  he  has  no  sort  of  objection  to  my  accompanying 
you  to  the  Iron  Works ;  he  says  you  may  take  me  instead 
of  Fritz." 

"  A  good  idea,"  cried  Madame  Berger,  as  she  came  from 
behind  the  window-curtain  ;  "  it  is,  however,  Mr.  Hamilton's, 
and  not  your  father's." 

"  It  is  in  the  letter,  however,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg, 
eagerly  perusing  the  inelegant  specimen  of  penmanship ; 
"  but  I  do  not  see  anything  about  Hans  or  the  horses." 

"  Oh,  I  said  nothing  about  them,  they  can  go  to  the  inn." 

"  But  we  have  a  stable "  began  Madame  Rosenberg. 

"  I  know  you  have,  and  a  pair  of  stout  greys  in  it.  Your 
father  has  promised  me  a  lift  into  Munich  every  Saturday, 
when  he  sends  in  his  iron." 

"  On  the  cart?"  asked  Madame  Berger. 

"  Yes,"  said  Hamilton,  "  there  are  places  for  two  on  the 
seat  in  front.  The  offer  was  very  civil,  considering  the 
shortness  of  our  acquaintance." 


406  THE  INITIALS. 

"  It  is  a  proof,  at  all  events,  that  he  has  taken  a  great 
fancy  to  you,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  with  an  air  of  great 
satisfaction ;  "  and  as  you  wish  to  go  with  the  children, 
Hildegarde  must  arrange  your  room  for  you.  Do  you  hear, 
Hildegarde  ?" 

"  Yes,  mamma." 

"  I  must  give  you  a  green  curtain  to  hang  up  before  the 
alcove  where  the  bedstead  is  to  be  put,  and  it  will  be  nearly 
as  good  as  two  rooms.  You  must  make  new  muslin  curtains 
for  the  windows  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  Your  grandfather  made  most  particular  inquiries  about 
you,"  observed  Hamilton,  turning  to  Hildegarde. 

"  He  is  not  my  grandfather  ;  he  is  no  relation  whatever 
of  mine,"  she  answered  in  French,  while  her  color  height- 
ened rapidly,  and  seemed  to  be  reflected  in  Hamilton's  face, 
which  became  crimson. 

"  I  don't  understand  French,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg, 
looking  at  them  alternately  ;  "  but  I  think  I  can  guess ; 
however,  it  is  no  matter — read  this  letter,  Hildegarde ;  in  it 
}rou  will  find  everything,  and  more  than  you  could  have 
heard  from  Mr.  Hamilton.  My  father  is  willing  to  act  to- 
wards you  as  a  relation  ;  do  not,  by  an  ill-timed  exhibition 
of  pride,  turn  his  kindly  feelings  towards  you  into  dislike." 

She  received  the  letter  and  the  not  undeserved  rebuke  in 
silence ;  while  Hamilton,  to  divert  Madame  Berger's  atten- 
tion, began  a  description  of  his  meeting  with  Mr.  Eisenmann, 
of  their  discourse,  and  supper. 

tl  It  must  have  been  delicious,  the  whole  scene,"  cried 
Madame  Berger ;  "  I  shall  pay  you  a  visit  at  the  Iron 
Works  the  very  first  day  the  Doctor  can  let  me  have  the 
horses." 

"  Pray  bring  the  Doctor  with  you  when  you  come," 
said  Madame  Rosenberg,  unconsciously  glancing  towards 
Hamilton. 

Madame  Berger  saw  the  glance,  observed  that  Hamilton 
laughed,  and  immediately  inquired  the  cause.  Madame 
Rosenberg  refused  to  tell  her,  and  she  appealed  to  Hamil- 
ton, who  immediately,  with  the  most  perfect  composure,  and 
without  the  slightest  reserve,  repeated  all  the  part  of  their 
morning  conversation  which  related  to  her.  She  seemed  to 
enjoy  the  recital  and  Madame  Rosenberg's  face  of  horror 
equally.     "  One  thing  is  certain,"  she  said,  when  he  had 


THE  IRON  WORKS.  407 

ended,  "  had  you  been  so  many  months  in  the  same  house 
with  me,  as  you  have  been  with  Hildegarde,  we  should 
have " 

"  You  seem  altogether  to  forget  the  Doctor,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg,  interrupting  her,  almost  angrily. 

"  To  tell  the  truth,  I  sometimes  do  forget  that  I  am  mar- 
ried ;  but  Mr.  Hamilton  understands  badinage  perfectly,  so 
you  need  not  look  so  shocked  at  my  bavardage" 

"  I  wish  you  would  speak  German,"  said  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, fidgeting  on  her  chair  ;  "  you  use  so  many  French 
words,  that  I  cannot  understand  the  half  of  what  you  say." 

"  I  believe  I  had  better  go  home,"  cried  Madame  Berger, 
good-humouredly.  "  Allow  me  to  hope  you  will  be  civiler  to 
me  when  I  visit  you  in  the  country !     Bon  soir." 

"  Good-night,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  dryly,  without 
making  the  slightest  effort  to  detain  her. 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

THE    IRON   WORKS. 

In  a  few  days,  Hildegarde,  the  children,  and  Hamilton 
were  established  at  the  Iron  Works  ;  her  recollections  proved 
tolerably  correct,  the  noise  of  the  hammers  was  almost  in- 
cessant, not  even  ceasing  during  the  night,  and  as  the  house 
adjoined  the  Iron  Works,  it  shook  at  times  until  the  windows 
rattled.  Hamilton  did  not  much  notice  the  white  curtains, 
but  from  pure  sympathy  with  Hildegarde,  he  regretted  the 
smuts  which  fell,  flake-like,  in  the  garden,  and  seemed  des- 
tined to  rob  the  coming  flowers  of  half  their  beauty.  Old 
Mr.  Eisenmann  was  not  a  little  proud  of  his  garden,  and 
great  was  his  satisfaction  when  he  found  Hildegarde  willing 
to  assist  him  in  cultivating  it.  The  plants  which  most  in- 
terested Hamilton  were  the  numerous  cactuses  which  filled 
all  the  windows  in  front  of  the  house,  and  whose  brilliant 
flowers  already  made  every  passer-by  stop  to  gaze  at  them. 
Nothing  could  equal  the  old  man's  delight  on  such  occasions  ; 
if  the  weather  were  warm  enough,  he  generally  opened  the 
window  and  related  how  he  had  managed  his  plants  during 


408  THE  INITIALS. 

the  winter,  in  order  to  make  them  blow  so  early,  and  it  had 
been  Hamilton's  unaffected  admiration  of  these  cactuses,  as 
he  had  walked  up  to  the  house,  which  had  formed  the  com- 
mencement of  their  acquaintance. 

During  the  fortnight  which  preceded  Madame  Rosenberg's 
arrival,  Hamilton  enjoyed  the  most  unrestrained  intercourse 
with  Hildegarde ;  he  watched  her  making  the  coffee  in  the 
morning,  sat  beside  her  at  the  open  window  looking  into  the 
garden,  and  accompanied  her  in  her  walks  with  her  brothers 
in  the  oak  wood  ;  here  there  was  a  small  chapel  in  which  she 
daily  prayed,  while  Hamilton,  leaning  against  the  entrance, 
stared  absently  at  the  votive  offerings  hung  around,  or  en- 
deavoured to  decipher  the  old  German  prayers,  and  texts  of 
Scripture,  with  which  their  inhuman  illustrations  were  pasted 
on  the  walls.  The  two  boys  generally  scampered  about,  but 
joined  them  when  they  sat  down  on  one  of  the  numerous 
benches  under  the  trees.  Hamilton  usually  held  a  book  in 
his  hand,  out  of  which  he  sometimes  read  a  few  lines,  es- 
pecially when  any  obtrusive  wanderers  made  their  appear- 
ance, though  on  week-days,  pilgrims  to  the  little  chapel,  who 
afterwards  came  to  beg  a  few  kreutzers,  were  the  only  inter- 
rupters of  their  studies,  meditations,  or  conversation,  as  the 
case  may  have  been. 

"  I  wish,"  he  said,  as  they  loitered  through  the  fields  on 
their  way  home,  the  evening  before  Madame  Rosenberg's 
arrival,  "  I  wish  I  were  certain  of  spending  the  next  six 
months  as  I  have  done  the  last  fortnight.  I  cannot  tell  you 
how  I  have  enjoyed  myself.  Much  as  I  like  your  step- 
mother, and  notwithstanding  all  her  kindness  and  indulgence 
to  me,  I  dread  her  coming  more  than  I  can  express.  Every- 
thing will  be  changed,  and  any  change  must  diminish  my 
happiness." 

"  You  have  nothing  to  apprehend  but  a  removal  of  the 
furniture  in  your  room,"  replied  Hildegarde,  with  a  quiet 
smile  ;  "  but  I  cannot  expect  any  longer  to  eat  the  bread  of 
idleness;  I  must  learn  to  cook,  and  wash,  and  iron?" 

"  You  will  never  be  able  to  endure  such  work,"  exclaimed 
Hamilton. 

"  I  shall  try  it  for  a  few  months  at  all  events,  and  as  long 
as  you  are  here,"  she  added,  frankly,  "  I  think  I  can  bear  it, 
as  your  society  and  friendship  will  be  an  indemnity  for  most 
annoyances." 


THE  IRON  WORKS.  409 

Hamilton's  expressions  of  gratitude  she  interrupted  by 
continuing,  "  After  all,  what  shall  I  do  more  than  girls  in  my 
rank  of  life  must  always  do?  Even  Crescenz,  since  her 
marriage,  has  learned  to  iron.  Did  you  not  see  her  ironing 
Major  Stultz's  shirts  when  we  went  to  take  leave  of  her?" 

"  Yes,  but  he  is  her  husband ;  and  it  was  a  mere  ostenta- 
tion of  usefulness  on  her  part,  for  your  mother  told  me  she 
need  not  do  anything  of  the  kind  if  she  did  not  wish  it. 
Crescenz,  however,  does  not  appear  misplaced  when  so  em- 
ployed, but  you " 

"  Strictly  speaking,  I  am  not  more  misplaced  than  she  is. 
We  have  both  received  an  education  beyond  our  station  in 
the  world.  I  have,  perhaps,  profited  more  by  the  instruction 
bestowed  on  me  than  she  has ;  but  you  must  allow  that  she 
has  shown  infinitely  more  capacity  for  the  necessary  duties 
of  life." 

"  If  it  be  her  duty  to  iron  her  husband's  shirts,"  answered 
Hamilton,  laughing,  "  I  must  say  she  performs  it  in  the 
most  charming  manner  possible.  Nothing  could  be  more 
coquettish  than  the  black  silk  handkerchief  twisted  round 
her  head  to  prevent  her  from  feeling  the  draught  of  air,  or 
the  sleeves  tucked  up  just  enough  to  exhibit  the  dimples  in 
her  white  arms !  I  must  say,  Crescenz  is  perfectly  aware  of 
all  her  personal  advantages  !" 

"  And  who  is  not  aware  of  them  ?"  said  Hildegarde,  "  or 
rather  who  does  not  overrate  them  ?" 

"  You  do  not,  most  certainly  !"  cried  Hamilton.  "  I  am 
convinced  you  do  not  think " 

"  That  I  am  handsome  ?"  said  Hildegarde,  interrupting 
him  quietly ;  "  I  know  it  perfectly  well.  You  are  shocked 
at  my  candour,"  she  added,  after  a  pause,  on  observing  that 
he  continued  silent ;  "  it  would  have  been  more  proper  to 
have  disclaimed — but,  after  all,  what  worth  have  regular 
features,  when  they  are  inanimate?  And  mine  are  so,  I 
know." 

"  You  are  mistaken,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  I  have  never  known 
anyone  whose  features  have  expressed  so  many  various  emo- 
tions as  yours  have  during  the  few  months  of  our  acquaint- 
ance." 

"  That  I  have  felt  more  than  during  the  whole  of  my 
previous  life,  is  most  certain,"  she  said,  thoughtfully.  "  It 
seems,  then,  I  have  not  been  able  to  acquire  that  composure 
s  35 


410  THE  INITIALS. 

of  mind  and  feature  which  Mademoiselle  Hortense  so  often 
told  me  would  be  essentially  necessary  for  my  happiness." 

"  I  am  rather  inclined  to  hate  that  Mademoiselle  Hortense 
without  ever  having  seen  her,"  cried  Hamilton  ;  "  I  think 
she  wished  to  make  an  actress  of  you !" 

"  No,  she  wished  to  make  a  good  governess  of  me,  as  my 
step-mother  desired  her,  and  she  saw  that  my  pride  and 
violence  of  temper  would  prove  serious  obstacles.  My  grati- 
tude to  her  is  unbounded  for  all  her  care  and  attention  during 
so  many  years.  She  is  my  only  hope  for  the  future  too — on 
her  I  depend  to  find  me  some  respectable  situation,  should 
my  residence  here  become  uncomfortable." 

"  Have  you  ever  seriously  thought  of  taking  such  a  step  ?" 

"  I  believe  I  have  talked  more  than  thought  on  the  subject. 
One  thing  I  have  resolved  upon,  and  that  is,  to  go  as  far  as 
possible  from  home." 

"  Should  you  like  to  go  to  a  foreign  country?" 

"  Foreign,  as  you  understand  the  word — no,  but  I  am  not 
likely  to  have  the  power  of  choosing.  Mademoiselle  Hor- 
tense's  connections  are  all  in  Alsace,  and  my  destination  will 
probably  be  Strasburg." 

They  walked  on  in  silence,  each  absorbed  in  thoughts  of 
no  very  agreeable  description.  As  they  drew  near  the  house, 
Mr.  Eisenmann  came  to  meet  them,  accompanied  by  the 
Forster,  who  had  begun  to  drop  in  regularly  every  evening, 
to  drink  a  glass  of  beer  with  the  old  man.  Hamilton  greatly 
approved  of  the  arrangement,  as  it  left  him  at  liberty  to  talk 
unreservedly  in  English  to  Hildegarde,  who,  however,  would 
have  preferred  his  absence,  from  the  time  that  Hamilton  had 
made  her  observe  that  his  eyes  were  fixed  upon  her  inces- 
santly, and  followed  her  wherever  she  went. 

"  This  is  the  last  evening  you  will  be  my  housekeeper, 
Hildegarde,"  said  Mr.  Eisenmann,  as  she  pushed  his  arm- 
chair to  the  table,"  and  placed  his  newspaper,  which  seemed 
to  contain  nothing  but  advertisements,  beside  the  small  brass 
lamp.  "  I  can  give  you  a  good  character,  girl ;  you  have  a 
way  with  you  that  has  made  the  people  here  obey  you  at 
once.  She  will  make  a  good  wife  one  of  these  days — eh,  Mr. 
Hamilton  ?     Eh,  Forster  Weidmann  ?" 

Hildegarde  smiled,  and  continued  to  perform  her  different 
evening  duties.  She  gave  her  brothers  their  bread-and-milk, 
assisted  the  awkward  maid-servant  to  arrange  the  supper- 


THE  IRON  WORKS.  411 

table,  made  the  salad,  carved  the  fowl,  and  presented  each 
his  plate  with  such  quiet  unobtrusiveness,  that  her  motions 
were  only  apparent  by  the  rustling  of  the  large  bunch  of  keys 
she  was  to  resign  to  her  mother  the  next  day,  but  which  now 
hung  glittering  in  steel  chains  at  her  girdle  a  la  chatelaine. 

Hamilton  had  been  agreeably  surprised  at  finding  Mr. 
Eisenmann  by  no  means  so  illiterate  as  he  had  expected. 
On  every  subject  relating  to  his  trade  he  was  perfectly  well 
informed,  and  in  other  respects  his  opinions  were  those  of  a 
shrewd,  intelligent  man.  He  spent  the  greater  part  of  each 
day  at  the  Iron  Works,  his  hands  thrust  into  his  pockets,  a 
short  and  very  brown  meerschaum  pipe  between  his  teeth, 
and  his  eyes  following  the  movements  of  his  workmen ;  and 
sometimes,  when  provoked  by  their  want  of  skill,  or  too 
dilatory  movements,  after  a  few  impatient  ejaculations, 
throwing  aside  his  coat  and  working  with  them.  In  his 
house,  too,  Hamilton  had  now  frequently  seen  him  in  his 
shirt-sleeves,  without  feeling  any  of  the  horror  expected  by 
Madame  Rosenberg ;  in  the  evening  he  generally  mounted 
a  black  silk  nightcap,  and  when  he  had  finished  smoking  his 
pipe  and  drinking  his  tankard  of  beer,  and  the  Forster  had 
taken  leave,  overcome  by  the  fatigue  of  early  rising  and  his 
daily  exertions,  he  usually  fell  fast  asleep,  leaving  his  two 
companions  to  whisper,  until  the  Scharwald  clock  struck  nine, 
when  wakening  without  any  apparent  effort,  he  sent  them  to 
bed,  and  retired  for  the  night  himself. 

This  evening — this  last  evening,  as  they  choose  to  call  it — 
the  Forster  showed  no  inclination  to  move,  and  his  eyes  now 
seemed  to  follow  the  motions  of  Hildegarde's  lips,  as  she 
murmured  an  occasional  sentence  to  Hamilton ;  he  tried  in 
vain  to  join  in  their  conversation,  spoke  of  bringing  his 
zither,  proposed  teaching  them  to  play  it,  if  they  desired, 
and  not  finding  either  of  them  disposed  to  appreciate  either 
his  conversational  or  musical  talents,  he  turned  to  the  now 
drowsy  old  man,  whom  he  contrived  to  waken  completely  by 
some  reference  to  the  eternal  "  good  old  times." 

"  Pray,  Hildegarde,  turn  away  from  that  man,"  said  Ham- 
ilton, bending  down  to  her,  as  she  sat  in  one  of  the  children's 
low  chairs  beside  him  ;  "  as  long  as  he  can  look  at  you  he  finds 
it  impossible  to  tear  himself  away — it  is  absolute  cruelty — 
he  is  depriving  Mr.  Eisenmann  of  his  sleep  this  evening. 
Unpardonably  inconsiderate  !"  he  added,  almost  angrily. 


412  THE  INITIALS. 

Hildegarde,  without  an  attempt  at  deprecation,  lit  a  taper, 
and  retiring  to  the  other  end  of  the  room,  where  there  was 
a  thin-legged  rickety  table,  she  took  from  a  cupboard  the 
large  house  account-book,  a  hideous  leaden  ink-bottle,  and  a 
well-worn  pen,  and  began  to  add  and  substract  with  a  dili- 
gence which  would  have  put  Hamilton's  temper  to  the  proof, 
had  not  the  Furster  almost  directly  stood  up  to  take  leave ; 
but  the  old  man  was  now  quite  roused,  and,  moreover,  dis- 
posed to  be  loquacious  ;  he  let  his  visitor  stand  before  him 
in  the  awkward  posture  of  a  shy  man,  wishing  to  get  away, 
and  not  knowing  how  to  manage  it,  while  he  observed : 
"  When  people  say  the  old  times  were  good,  and  the  present 
times  are  bad,  I  always  feel  obliged  to  contradict  them.  No 
offence,  good  Mr.  Weidmann,  but  in  my  youth  I  have  often 
heard  just  the  same  thing  said,  and  in  those  times  as  in 
these,  the  greater  part  of  mankind  had  to  earn  their  bread 
in  '  the  sweat  of  their  face.'  " 

"  I  suppose  so,  sir,"  said  the  Forster,  trying  to  move,  but 
restrained  by  the  old  man's  continuing  to  address  him.  "  I 
wish  you  a  good-night." 

"  All  I  know  is,"  resumed  Mr.  Eisenmann,  addressing 
Hamilton,  "that  Bavaria,  of  all  the  countries  I  have  seen, 
appears  to  me  to  be  the  happiest.  Of  England  I  know 
nothing,  excepting  the  manufacturing  towns " 

"  When  were  you  there  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Soon  after  the  peace — I  went  there  on  business." 

"  And  what  did  you  think  of  England  ?  I  should  like  to 
know  what  impression  was  made  on  you  by  our  great  manu- 
facturing districts?" 

"  I  saw  much  to  admire,  but  nothing  to  make  me  think 
the  English  a  happier  people  than  the  Bavarians,"  replied 
Mr.  Eisenmann,  with  a  low,  satisfied  laugh.  "  I  would 
rather  have  been  born  a  smith  here  than  there,  for,  besides 
the  instructions  which  I  received  for  nothing  in  my  childhood, 
I  had,  during  my  youth,  my  Sunday  and  holiday  pleasures, 
my  merry  dances,  and  my  pot  of  beer  in  good  company,  and 
with  good  music,  too,  of  an  evening — and  a  lot  of  other 
things  of  which  your  English  workmen  had  not  an  idea 
when  I  was  amongst  them.     It  may  be  different  now " 

"  I  am  afraid  it  is  not,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  but  surely  our 
manufactories  must  have  astonished  you  !" 

"  I  should  have  understood  very  little  of  my  business  if 


THE  IRON  WORKS.  413 

they  had  not,"  replied  Mr.  Eisenmann.  "  In  this  respect 
England  is  a  giantess,  but,  like  a  giantess,  ought  to  be 
admired  at  a  distance  and  not  examined  in  detail." 

"  I  perceive,"  said  Hamilton,  "  that  the  people  with  whom 
you  associated  have  made  an  unpleasant  impression  on  you." 

"  Perhaps  so,  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  was  a  correct 
one.  I  mixed  with  people  whose  habits  and  mode  of  life 
are,  and  will  ever  remain,  totally  unknown  to  you — it  was 
probably  before  you  were  born,  too,  and  may,  as  I  said 
before,  be  quite  different  now — at  all  events  it  is  too  late  to 
talk  more  about  it  to-night ;  I  must  look  after  my  workmen, 
and  then  it  will  be  time  to  go  to  bed."  He  lit  his  candle 
and  walked  towards  an  office  which  communicated  with  the 
Iron  Works. 

"  What  a  different  person  Mr.  Eisenmann  is  from  what  I 
expected  !"  observed  Hildegarde. 

"  He  is  different  from  what  I  expected,  too,"  answered 
Hamilton. 

"  I  am  beginning  to  have  quite  a  respect  for  him,"  she 
continued,  "  in  short,  I  think  him  a  remarkably  clever  man." 

"  You  are  always  in  extremes,  Hildegarde — first  you 
unnecessarily  underrated,  and  now  you  overrate  him  !" 

"  I  suspect,"  said  Hildegarde,  laughing,  "  you  are  annoyed 
at  his  not  thinking  the  English  workmen  happier  than  the 
Bavarian ;  his  remarks,  however,  appeared  to  me  very  intel- 
ligent ;  he  is  quite  willing  to  allow  England  her  superiority 
in  manufactures,  though  not  in  the  felicity  of  her  lower 
orders.  For  a  person  in  his  station  of  life,  you  must 
allow " 

"  Yes,"  said  Hamilton,  "  for  a  person  in  his  station  in  life, 
I  do  think  him  unusually  well-informed  and  rational,  but 
what  I  find  most  to  admire  about  him  is,  that  he  has  not 
stood  still  between  his  thirtieth  and  fortieth  year,  as  most 
men  who  are  not  actually  moving  in  the  world  do,  and 
which  I  verily  believe  is  the  cause  of  those  never-ending 
praises  of  the  good  old  times." 

"  He  is  the  first  person,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  that  I  have 
heard  actually  give  the  present  times  the  preference  to  those 
of  his  youth !" 

"  He  has  followed  the  changes  of  the  world,"  said  Hamil- 
ton, "  and  that  is  a  proof  of  intellect  less  often  given  than 
people  imagine.    Everybody's  youth  must  be,  I  should  think, 


414  THE  INITIALS. 

mere  agreeable  than  their  old  age.  The  world  is  full  of 
pleasures  for  youth,  which  by  degrees,  slowly  but  surely, 
even  under  the  most  fortunate  circumstances,  cease  for  the 
aged.  Happy  those  who,  like  Mr.  Eisenmann,  can  under- 
stand and  appreciate  the  improvement  in  the  world — still 
more  happy  those  who,  when  old,  can  find  enjoyment  in 
witnessing  pleasures  in  which  they  can  no  longer  participate." 

'•  But  there  are  some  fortunate  persons  who  never  appear 
to  grow  old,"  said  Hildegarde. 

"  Oh,  don't  call  them  fortunate,"  cried  Hamilton  ;  "  age 
must  be  felt  by  everybody,  though  by  some  it  may  be  borne 
cheerfully.  Nothing  is  so  disgusting  as  the  affectation  of 
youth  in  an  old  person.  I  consider  it  a  positive  misfortune 
to  those  who  retain  their  youthful  manners  in  old  age  !  To 
grow  old  with  dignity  is  not  so  easy  as  people  imagine — I 
could  write  a  pamphlet  about  it " 

"  Pray  do,"  said  Hildegarde,  smiling,  "  I  should  like  to 
learn  to  grow  old — I — who  have  never  really  felt  what  it 
was  to  be  young !" 

"  I  am  waiting  to  bid  you  good-night,"  said  Mr.  Eisen- 
mann at  the  door.  "  This  is  the  last  time  I  shall  go  the 
rounds,  for  I  mean  to  resign  my  office  to  my  daughter  to- 
morrow— she  locked  all  the  doors,  and  bolted  all  the  win- 
dows, for  many  a  year  before  she  was  married !" 

"  He  has  just  come  in  time,"  said  Hamilton,  rising,  "  I 
believe  I  was  getting  very  prosy." 

"  And  I  very  melancholy,"  said  Hildegarde. 

The  old  man  bade  them  good-night,  and  watched  them 
gravely  as  they  ascended  the  stairs  and  separated  on  the 
lobby. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

AN   UNEXPECTED    MEETING   AND    ITS    CONSEQUENCES. 

Madame  Rosenberg  tcok  possession  of  her  father's 
house  more  quietly  than  had  been  expected  ;  he  resigned 
his  keys  and  authority  with  a  solemnity  which  quite  subdued 
her,  and  a  whole  week  elapsed  before  any  extraordinary 
bustle  was  perceptible ;  at  the  end  of  that  time  a  scrubbing, 


AN   UNEXPECTED  MEETING.  415 

and  washing,  and  painting  began,  which  drove  the  old  man 
to  the  neighbouring  inn,  and  Hamilton  into  Munich,  for 
some  days.  It  was  very  disagreeable,  but  certainly  the 
house  appeared  metamorphosed  when  it  was  at  an  end,  and 
no  complaints  were  heard,  excepting  a  few  faint  murmurs 
from  Mr.  Eisenmann  about  the  vine  which  was  trained 
against  the  front  of  the  house  being  covered  with  whitewash. 
Hildegarde,  to  her  infinite  satisfaction,  was  not  obliged  to 
learn  cooking — she  had  shown  a  too  decided  distaste  and 
want  of  talent ;  she  became,  however,  a  tolerably  expert 
ironer,  and  it  was  amusing  to  see  Hamilton  sitting,  day  after 
day,  beside  the  table  covered  with  heaps  of  linen,  a  volume 
of  Schiller  on  the  philosophy  of  Herder  in  his  hand,  reading 
aloud,  in  order  (as  he  explained  to  Madame  Rosenberg)  to 
improve  his  German  accent,  about  which  his  family  had 
become  very  anxious  of  late,  and  from  which  he  concluded 
they  had  some  hopes  of  placing  him  at  one  of  the  German 
courts  ;  however,  he  did  not  feel  particularly  interested  on 
that  subject,  nor,  indeed,  on  anything  that  had  reference  to 
the  future ;  he  lived  from  day  to  day,  reckoning  the  time 
profitably  or  unprofitably  spent,  according  to  its  having  been 
or  not  having  been  spent  in  Hildegarde's  society ;  he  might 
truly  say  with  Proteus  of  Verona — 

"  I  leave  myself,  my  friends,  and  all  for  love. 
Thou,  Julia,  thou  hast  metamorphosed  me ; 
Made  me  neglect  my  studies,  lose  my  time, 
War  with  good  counsel,  set  the  world  at  nought — " 

And  three  months  passed  like  so  many  days,  and  three 
more  would  have  followed  them  in  blissful  monotony,  had 
not  a  circumstance,  trivial  in  itself,  led  in  its  consequences 
to  an  abrupt  termination  of  this  mode  of  life,  or  waste  of 
life — whichever  the  reader  may  consider  it. 

The  Munich  midsummer  fair  had  commenced,  and  Madame 
Rosenberg,  not  having  found  time  in  one  day  to  make  her 
usual  purchases,  decided  upon  going  a  second ;  she  put  it  off, 
however,  until  the  very  last,  and  when  the  morning  came 
was  suffering  so  much  from  headache  that  she  was  obliged  to 
remain  at  home.  As  they  had  promised  to  dine  at  twelve 
o'clock  with  the  Major,  she  thought  it  better  to  send  Hilde- 
garde and  Gustle,  and  though  at  first  she  insisted  that  they 
were  to  go  in  their  grandfather's  little  old  carriage,  she  at 


416  THE  INITIALS. 

length  yielded  to  Hamilton's  remonstrances  and  entreaties, 
and  after  he  had  passed  a  good  half  hour  at  her  bedroom 
door,  making  promises  of  the  most  varied  description,  allowed 
them  to  drive  with  him,  and  be  under  his  care  during  the 
day. 

Crescenz  received  them,  as  usual,  with  childish  delight; 
her  greatest  pleasure  on  such  occasions  was  to  astonish  them 
with  a  variety  of  tarts  and  sweetmeats,  and  they  always 
found  it  difficult  to  get  away.  On  this  day  it  was  easier,  for 
she  intended  to  accompany  them  to  the  fair.  Blazius  had 
insisted  on  her  buying  some  new  muslin  dresses,  he  was  so 
thoughtful,  and  so  generous !  In  fact,  they  were  a  very 
merry  party ;  for  Major  Stultz  had  ceased  to  be  jealous ;  his 
wife  now  really  liked  him,  and  was  more  obedient  than  a 
child ;  the  thought  of  disputing  his  will  had  never  entered 
her  mind,  and  she  appealed  to  him  in  the  most  infantine 
manner  on  every  occasion,  while,  captivated  by  her  beauty 
and  innocence,  he  was  invariably  indulgent  and  generous 
almost  to  prodigality.  She  assured  her  sister,  therefore,  with 
the  most  perfect  sincerity,  as  they  walked  together  through 
the  fair,  that  she  considered  herself  the  most  fortunate 
woman  in  the  world,  that  she  could  never  have  been  so 
happy  with  anyone  as  with  Major  Stultz — no,  not  even  with 
Mr.  Hamilton — Blazius  had  quite  convinced  her  of  that ! 

They  loitered  about  nearly  two  hours,  and  Hamilton,  un- 
utterably wearied,  was  slowly  following  Hildegarde,  carrying 
her  various  little  parcels  of  ribbons  and  pins,  until  the  arrival 
of  Hans  with  the  carriage  should  relieve  him,  when  he  was 
suddenly  seized  by  both  arms  and  familiarly  addressed  by 
some  persons  behind  him.  They  were  two  of  his  nearest 
relations,  passing  through  Munich  on  their  way  home  from 
Italy,  and  were  evidently  more  glad  to  see  him  than  he  to 
see  them. 

"  Where  have  you  been  hiding  yourself,  Alfred  ?  We 
were  at  your  supposed  lodgings,  and  no  one  could  tell  us 
anything  about  you.  Any  letters  left  would  be  called  for, 
which  sounded  very  mysterious,  as,  had  you  left  for  Vienna 
or  Berlin,  your  letters  would  have  been  forwarded  sans  fa<;on, 
I  suppose.  Come,  give  an  account  of  yourself.  I  shall  be 
asked  a  thousand  questions,  you  know,  when  I  go  home — 
that  is,  if  you  don't  accompany  us,  which  you  might  as  well 
do,  all  things  considered,  and — Uncle  Jack " 


AN   UNEXPECTED   MEETING.  417 

No,  Hamilton  had  no  intention  of  returning  home  until 
the  very  last  day  of  his  leave  of  absence  had  expired. 

"  Well,  as  we  start  in  a  day  or  two,  you  will  spend  the 
evening  with  us  at  least  ?" 

At  this  moment  Hans  appeared,  and  said,  "  the  carriage 
was  ready."  Hamilton  desired  him  to  wait  at  the  termina- 
tion of  the  booths,  and  then  turning  to  his  companions  said, 
with  some  embarrassment,  "  Spend  the  evening  with  you  !  oh, 
of  course ;  but  I  have  promised  to  drive  home  a  lady  who 
lives  a  little  out  of  the  town." 

"  Oh,  there's  a  lady,  is  there  ?" 

"  Yes :  she  is  at  present  with  her  sister,  making  some 
purchases." 

"  Ah,  perhaps  these  are  also  some  of  them  ?"  cried  one  of 
his  cousins,  peeping  with  an  affectation  of  extreme  care  into 
one  of  the  parcels  ;  "  ribbons,  I  declare,  and  hair-pins  !  ergo, 
young — where  is  she  ?" 

"  I  don't — know,"  replied  Hamilton,  looking  down  the  row 
of  booths,  at  one  of  which  Hildegarde  was  standing. 

"  It's  that  tall  girl  with  the  small  waist,  I'm  certain." 

"  Well,  it  is  that  tall  girl,"  said  Hamilton,  half  laughing; 
"  the  sooner  you  let  me  go  take  her  home,  the  sooner  I  shall 
be  back  with  you." 

"  Let  him  go,  let  him  go,"  cried  his  other  cousin ;  and 
Hamilton,  with  an  impatient  gesture,  walked  quickly  on, 
followed  at  a  little  distance  by  both.  He  took  a  hasty  leave 
of  Major  Stultz  and  Crescenz,  and  hurried  Hildegarde  to  the 
end  of  the  fair.  Just  as  they  were  seated  in  the  phaeton, 
and  Hamilton  was  taking  the  reins  in  his  hand,  his  cousin 
called  out,  "  Hollo,  Alfred  !  you  never  asked  where  we  were 
stopping.     I  think  you  are  going  to  give  us  the  slip !" 

"  You  are  at  Havard's,  I  suppose,"  said  Hamilton,  not  in 
the  least  endeavouring  to  correct  the  impatient  movements 
of  his  horses. 

"  Yes.     Wait  a  moment,  I  want  to  ask  you  a  question." 

Hamilton  bent  down  ;  his  face,  by  degrees  became  crimson, 
and  he  glanced  furtively  at  Hildegarde,  as  if  he  feared  she 
might  have  overheard  the  whisper ;  but  she,  quite  uncon- 
scious that  so  many  eyes  were  fixed  upon  her,  was  leaning 
back,  and  absently  twisting  her  purse  round  her  fingers. 

Hamilton  drove  off  at  a  furious  rate,  but  scarcely  were 
they  out  of  the  town,  when,  throwing  the  reins  to  Hans, 
hb 


418  THE  INITIALS. 

he  stepped  over  the  seat  and  placed  himself  beside  Hilde- 
garde. 

"  I  am  surprised,"  she  observed,  with  a  smile,  "  that  you 
did  not  remain  with  your  friends,  and  send  us  home  with 
Hans." 

"  It  would  have  been  the  wisest  thing  I  could  have  done  : 
it  was  confoundedly  stupid,  my  not  thinking  of  doing  so. 
Stop  !"  he  cried  to  Hans ;  but  directly  after,  sinking  back  on 
his  seat,  he  added,  "  No — go  on,"  and  then  murmured,  "  it 
is  too  late  now.  The  best  plan  will  be  not  to  return.  The 
less  he  knows,  the  less  he  can  talk  about." 

Hildegarde  bent  forward.    "  Talk  about  what?"  she  asked. 

"  You  cannot  understand,"  he  answered,  quickly. 

"  No :  I  perceive  I  cannot.  I  have  not  the  most  remote 
idea  whether  or  not  you  were  glad  to  see  these  friends." 

"  They  are  my  relations,  my  cousins ;  and  that  one  who 
last  spoke  to  me — did  you  observe  him  ?" 

"  Not  particularly." 

"  That  is  Harry  Waldcott,  a  great  friend  of  my  brother 
John's,  the  most  amusing,  worthless,  extravagant  fellow  in 
the  world.  Were  he  to  find  out  where  I  am,  he  would  come 
to  the  Iron  Works  to-morrow,  establish  himself  at  the  inn, 
use  my  horses,  abuse  myself,  laugh  at  your  step-mother,  bully 
Mr.  Eisenmann,  and,  for  all  I  know,  fall  in  love  with  you !" 

"  Dreadful  person  !"  cried  Hildegarde,  laughing. 

"  As  it  is,  he  has  seen  enough — too  much,  unfortunately,  I 
think,"  he  continued,  with  increasing  irritation  of  manner. 
"  I  think  I  hear  his  exaggerations  to  my  father,  his  insinua- 
tions when  talking  to  my  uncle  !  No  :  he  shall  never  know 
where  I  am — nothing  shall  tempt  me  into  Munich  for  a  fort- 
night at  least !" 

"  You  think,  perhaps,  that  your  father  and  uncle  would 
disapprove  of  your  being  at  the  Iron  Works  ?" 

;;  Think  !"  cried  Hamilton,  "  I  am  sure  of  it.  My  father 
would  say  I  was  losing  my  time ;  my  uncle,  that  I  was 
making  a  fool  of  myself." 

Neither  of  them  spoke  a  word  until  they  reached  home, 
and  Hamilton  was  remarkably  thoughtful  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  evening. 

The  next  day  he  was  as  cheerful  as  ever  ;  and  having  from 
his  window  seen  Hildegarde  walking  towards  the  arbour  with 
some  paper  and  an  ink-stand  in  her  hand,  he  took  up  the 


AN   UNEXPECTED   MEETING.  419 

book  they  were  reading  together,  and  followed  her.  She  had 
just  finished  making  a  pen  when  he  entered,  and  throwing  it 
on  the  table,  she  leaned  forward  and  began,  rather  formally : 

"  Mr.  Hamilton " 

"  Pray,  call  me  Alfred — I  have  long  wished  it,  and  we  are 
quite  intimate  enough  to  admit  of  your  doing  so.  I  called 
you  Hildegarde  the  first  month  I  was  in  your  house." 

"  It  is  perhaps  an  English  custom,"  she  said,  half  in- 
quiringly. 

Hamilton  did  not  answer.  The  fact  was,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  their  acquaintance  he  had  considered  both 
Hildegarde  and  her  sister  so  infinitely  beneath  him  in  rank 
that  he  had  almost  immediately  called  them  by  their  Chris- 
tian names. 

;'  I  suppose,"  she  continued,  "  if  I  know  you  well  enough 
to  call  you  Alfred,  I  may  venture  to  say " 

"  You  may  venture  to  say  anything  you  please." 

"  Well,  then — Alfred — I  think  the  sooner  you  leave  us — 
leave  the  Iron  Works — the  better." 

"  Do  you  ?"  he  said,  with  a  tolerably  successful  effort  to 
appear  unconcerned.  "  I  suppose  what  I  said  yesterday, 
when  I  was  vexed,  has  made  you  come  to  this  conclusion." 

"  Yes ;  and  though  I  cannot  perceive  that  you  have 
exactly  been  making  a  fool  of  yourself,  I  think  it  very 
evident  that  you  have  been  losing  your  time  here." 

"  I  wish  I  could  lose  the  remainder  of  my  life  in  the  same 
way.     I  have  been  immeasurably  happy  lately." 

"  You  said  your  cousin  would  exaggerate— would  insinu- 
ate  " 

"  Did  you  understand  what  I  meant  when  I  said  that  ?" 
cried  Hamilton,  quickly. 

"  I  believe  I  did  ;  and  I  half  wished  you  had  allowed  him 
to  come  here,  and  see  that  he  was  mistaken ;  he  would  soon 
have  perceived  that  your  friends  have  no  cause  for  anxiety 
— that  friendship  alone  exists  between  us." 

"  He  would  have  seen  no  such  thing,  Hildegarde,  at  least 
as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  and  that  you  know  as  well  as  I  do. 
That  you  have  limited  your  measure  of  regard  for  me  is  a 
proof — of — of — no  matter  what ;  I  am  most  happy  that  it  is 
so."  And  Hamilton  felt  at  that  moment  as  unhappy  and 
indignant  as  he  had  ever  been  in  his  life. 

"  Do  you  not  think,"  said  Hildegarde,  bending  over  the 


420  THE  INITIALS. 

table,  as  she  played  with  the  pen,  "  do  you  not  think  it 
would  be  better  to  leave  us  before  you  are  ordered  to  do  so  ?" 

■•  No,-'  answered  Hamilton,  almost  harshly. 

"  But,"  she  continued,  bending  still  lower,  to  conceal  her 
heightened  color,  "  but  suppose  I  were  not  here,  would  you 
still  remain  ?" 

"  Can  you  doubt  it?"  cried  Hamilton,  ironically.  "  How 
could  I  ever  willingly  quit  this  tranquil  retreat  ?  The  pas- 
toral beauties  of  these  grounds  !  The  society  in  every  way 
so  suited  to  my  tastes  and  habits  !     The " 

"  Enough,  enough !"  cried  Hildegarde,  seizing  her  pen, 
and  with  burning  cheeks,  but  steady  hand,  she  rapidly 
wrote  a  letter,  while  Hamilton,  standing  at  the  entrance, 
watched  her  with  an  odd  mixture  of  anger  and  admira- 
tion. He  waited  until  she  had  signed  her  name,  and  then 
placing  his  hand  on  the  paper,  asked  if  the  letter  concerned 
him. 

"  I  might  easily  equivocate,  and  say  no,  as  you  are  neither 
directly  nor  indirectly  mentioned  in  it ;  but  that  would  not 
be  the  truth.  The  letter  is  to  Madame  Hortense.  I  am 
now  quite  resolved  to  leave this  place." 

-May  I  read  it?" 

"  If  you  insist " 

He  took  the  letter ;  it  was  in  French,  short  and  forcibly 
written,  as  most  letters  are  when  composed  under  the  in- 
fluence of  excited  feelings.  Plamilton's  anger  increased  as 
he  read ;  her  proud  determination  of  manner  irritated  him 
beyond  measure,  and,  ashamed  of  the  agitation  which  his 
trembling  hands  betrayed,  he  first  crushed  and  then  tore  it 
to  pieces. 

••  My  letter !"  cried  Hildegarde,  starting  up  with  all  her 

former  vehemence  of  manner.     "  How  dare  you "  she 

stopped  and  sat  down,  breathing  quickly  and  audibly. 

"  You  are  in  a  passion,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  I  was,"  she  replied,  taking  a  long  breath ;  "  it  is 
over." 

';  Oh,  no  ;  be  angry,  I  entreat ;  say — do  something  out- 
rageous or  I  can  have  no  hope  of  forgiveness.  "We  have 
changed  characters  ;  you  have  learned  to  control  your  anger, 
and  have  me  now  in  your  power;  be  merciful !" 

';  Rather  tell  me  to  be  candid,"  she  replied,  rising ; 
"  writing  that  letter  in  your  presence  was  an  unnecessary 


AN   UNEXPECTED  MEETING.  421 

display  of  self-control ;  I  was  not  so  calm  as  I  wished  you 
to  suppose  me." 

"  Well,  you  certainly  are  the  most  honourable " 

"  Don't  praise  me,"  she  said,  hastily  ;  "  I  cannot  listen  to 
you  when  I  am  so  dissatisfied  with  myself.  I  fancied  my 
temper  was  corrected  ;  I  find  it  has  merely  not  been  tried." 

"  Your  temper  is  a  very  good  one,"  said  Hamilton.  "  That 
you  doubt  yourself,  and  are  on  your  guard,  is  rather  an 
advantage  than  otherwise.  I  always  have  been  considered 
so  good-tempered,  that  when  I  feel  angry  it  never  occurs  to 
me  to  conceal  it,  and  the  consequence  is  that  you  have  seen 
me  forget  myself  more  than  once." 

Just  then  Madame  Rosenberg  entered  the  garden,  holding 
a  very  diminutive  note  in  her  hand.  "  I  am  come,"  she  said, 
"  to  remind  you  of  a  promise  which  you  made  to  a  lady,  I 
hope  with  the  consent  of  her  husband." 

"  I  don't  know  any  lady  likely  to  remind  me  of  a  promise, 
excepting,  perhaps,  Madame  Berger." 

"  Exactly ;  the  Doctor  will  not  be  at  home  to-morrow, 
and  as  the  weather  is  so  fine  she  proposes  spending  the  day 
here." 

"  Well,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Well,  and  Crescenz  and  the  Major  write  to  know  if  you 
will  take  them  also  in  your  phaeton  when  you  drive  into 
Munich  for  Lina." 

"  Oh,  certainly,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing  ;  "  it  was  to 
Crescenz  I  made  the  offer,  and  it  was  Madame  Berger  who 
accepted  it.  You  may  remember,  Hildegarde,  the  beginning 
of  the  month,  when  we  all  went  to  drink  coffee  at  the  Stultzs', 
and  had  such  excellent  ices  afterwards.  I  wonder  they  did 
not  say  anything  yesterday  when  we  were  with  them." 

"  I  suppose,"  observed  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  that  they 
saw  Lina  after  you  left ;  but  at  all  events  you  will  go  for 
them?" 

"  Yes,  and  at  a  very  early  hour." 

"Oh,  of  course,"  she  cried,  nodding  her  head  jokingly; 
"  that  means  at  ten  o'clock,  I  suppose." 

"It  means  at  five  o'clock." 

"  Ah,  bah  !  as  if  you  could  get  up  at  four  !" 

"  I  can  and  will.  Crescenz  must  give  me  breakfast,  and  I 
hope  to  be  out  of  Munich  before  seven,  for  various  reasons  I" 

"  The  dust,  perhaps  !" 

86 


422  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Dust  or  dirt,"  said  Hamilton,  carelessly.  "  If  Madame 
Berger  cannot  leave  so  early,  we  can  send  Hans  with  the 
carriage  at  a  later  hour ;  though  I  would  rather  she  would 
stay  at  home  as  far  as  I  am  concerned." 

"  I  cannot  believe  that,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  for  I 
never  saw  you  get  on  with  anyone  as  you  do  with  her  ;  if  I 
were  the  Doctor  I  would  not  allow  it." 

"  Nor  I  either,  if  I  were  the  Doctor,"  said  Hamilton, 
laughing ;  "  but  he  is  not,  perhaps,  aware  that  her  usual 
vivacity  degenerates  into  romping  when  she  is  here,  and  she 
is  much  too  young  and  much  too  pretty  for  anyone  to  expect 
that  I " 

"  Oh,  after  all  there  is  no  great  harm  ;  you  only  scamper 
about  like  a  pair  of  children,  but  I  should  not  like  to  see 
either  Crescenz  or  Hildegarde  doing  the  same." 

Hamilton  looked  at  Hildegarde ;  there  was  something  in 
the  expression  of  her  face  which  made  him  imagine  that 
bhe,  perhaps,  had  not  quite  approved  of  the  scampering 
about  of  which  her  mother  spoke. 

"  Am  I  to  write  an  answer  to  this  note  ?"  she  asked,  as  she 
took  it  out  of  Madame  Rosenberg's  hand. 

Her  mother  nodded  her  head,  and  left  the  garden.  Hil- 
degarde wrote,  and  Hamilton  again  leaned  against  the 
entrance  of  the  arbour  and  looked  in. 

"  Are  you  waiting  for  this  letter  too  ?"  she  asked,  smiling. 

"  I  was  not  thinking  of  it,"  he  replied.  "  I  want  to  know 
if  you,  at  least,  believe  that  I  would  rather  Madame  Berger 
did  not  come  here  to-morrow  ?" 

Hildegarde  began  to  scribble  on  the  blotting  paper  with 
great  diligence. 

"  I  see  you  do  not  believe  me." 

"I  do,  partly,  especially  if  you  think  you  must  be  quieter 
than  on  former  occasions,  now  that  mamma  has  remarked 
it.  The  fact  is,  I  think  Lina  altogether  to  blame,  and  I 
have  often  admired  your  forbearance." 

;'  Thank  you,"  cried  Hamilton,  "  I  am  quite  satisfied 
now." 

"  Do  not  be  quite  satisfied  with  yourself,"  said  Hildegarde, 
"  for  I  must  tell  you  honestly  that  I  am  quite  disposed  to  be 
unjust  to  Lina  ;  more  than  ready  to  put  an  unkind  construc- 
tion on  all  she  does  or  says." 

"  Why  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  with  a  blush  of  pleasure,  as  a 


THE  EXPERIMENT.  423 

faint  vision  of  the  "  green-eyed  monster"  approaching  Hilde- 
garde  floated  before  his  imagination.     "  Why?" 

"  Because  I  dislike  her.  We  waged  war  with  each  other 
for  nearly  ten  years." 

"  Ah,  I  remember,  she  told  me  you  were  rival  beauties  at 
school." 

"  There  was  no  rivalry  on  my  part,"  said  Hildegarde 
quietly ;  "  I  never  hesitated  to  acknowledge  her  beauty  :  it  is 
of  the  most  captivating  description,  and  even  when  she  is 
most  disagreeable  to  me  I  admire  her  person." 

"You  dislike  her  mind — her  disposition,  which  is  so 
different  from  yours,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  I  cannot  tolerate  her  want  of  truth  and  honour ;  her,  to 
me,  unfathomable  cunning.     In  one  word,  I  despise  her." 

"  You  have  been  at  no  pains  to  conceal  it,"  observed 
Hamilton. 

"  There  was  no  necessity,"  said  Hildegarde,  beginning  to 
fold  up  her  note ;  "  but,"  she  added,  "  you  must  not  let  my 
opinion  weigh  with  you ;  you  know  I  have  strong,  and  often 
unreasonable,  prejudices.  At  all  events,  Lina's  faults  are  not 
of  a  description  to  prevent  one  from  passing  a  long  summer's 
day  very  agreeably  in  their  society." 

"  She  is  certainly  an  amusing  person,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  She  is  clever,"  said  Hildegarde,  gathering  up  her  writing 
materials  to  carry  into  the  house ;  "  no  one  can  deny  that  she 
has  intellect ;  at  school  there  were  few  to  be  compared  to  her." 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE   EXPERIMENT. 

The  morning  was  bright  and  still  cool,  though  promising 
a  sultry  day,  as  Hamilton  prepared  to  leave  the  Iron  Works. 
To  the  astonishment  of  Madame  Rosenberg,  it  was  so  early, 
that  she  was  obliged  to  wish  him  good-morning  from  one  of 
the  windows,  her  nightcap  yet  on  her  head.  Hildegarde  was 
standing  before  the  horses,  giving  them  lumps  of  sugar, 
which  they  had  learned  to  expect  from  her,  and  looking  so 


424  THE  INITIALS. 

fresh  and  beautiful  that  Hamilton  began  to  grudge  the  few 
hours  which  civility  required  him  to  absent  himself  from  her. 
Kneeling  on  the  seat  of  the  phaeton,  he  looked  up  towards 
Madame  Rosenberg,  and  asked  if  it  would  not  do  just  as 
well  if  he  sent  the  carriage  with  Hans  ? 

"  Lina  Berger  will  never  forgive  you,"  she  answered  from 
the  window. 

"  Dear  Crescenz  will  expect  you  to  breakfast,"  said  Hilde- 
garde,  pushing  away  the  head  of  one  of  the  horses  which 
had  been  resting  on  her  arm,  "  I  am  sure  she  has  already 
arranged  all  her  prettiest  cups  and  saucers  for  you — don't 
forget  to  admire  them." 

Hamilton  drove  off.  He  found  Crescenz  not  only  waiting 
for  him,  but  with  her  head  stretched  far  out  of  the  window, 
watching  for  his  arrival.  She  ran  to  meet  him,  exclaiming, 
"  How  good-natured  of  you  to  come  on  so  short  a  notice,  and 
so  early  too  !  Blazius  is  not  dressed — he  is  so  lazy  in  the 
morning — he  never  gets  up  until  past  six !  We  shall  not 
wait  breakfast  for  him,  however.    Which  cup  do  you  choose  ?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Hamilton,  thoughtfully.  "  This  is 
the  largest,  but  that  is  the  prettiest — I  think  I  must  have 
both,  first  this  and  afterwards  that  one." 

Crescenz  laughed ;  and  between  the  history  of  her  cups, 
and  a  discussion  about  her  new  half-mourning,  the  time 
passed  until  her  husband  made  his  appearance  to  eat  a  hearty 
breakfast,  for  he  was  quite  as  anxious  as  Hamilton  to  leave 
Munich  early,  he  so  very  much  disliked  both  heat  and  dust. 
They  called  for  Madame  Berger :  she  was  dressed  in  the  very 
extreme  of  fashion,  and  bounded  lightly  up  to  the  seat 
beside  Hamilton. 

"  Let  me  see  how  your  horses  can  step  out,"  she  cried, 
while  leaning  back  to  offer  Crescenz  her  little,  tightly  gloved 
hand. 

Hamilton  was  quite  willing  to  gratify  her,  his  horses  ready 
to  second  him  ;  at  that  early  hour  the  road  was  but  little 
encumbered  by  carts  or  carriages,  and  past  the  few  they  met 
the  phaeton  rolled  with  a  velocity  that  made  Madame  Berger 
laugh  so  heartily,  that  poor  Crescenz's  stifled  screams  were 
for  some  time  inaudible.  At  length  Major  Stultz  spoke : 
"  Mr.  Hamilton,  may  I  beg  of  you  to  drive  a  little  slower — 
Crescenz's  nerves  are  not  in  a  state  to  bear " 

11  Why,    good    gracious,    Crescenz !"    exclaimed    Madame 


THE  EXPERIMENT.  425 

Berger,  "  you  don't  mean  to  say  you  are  frightened  ?  Mr. 
Hamilton  drives  so  well  that  there  is  not  the  slightest  danger." 

"  Oh,  no ;  I  dare  say  not,"  said  Crescenz. 

"I  should  not  be  afraid,"  continued  Madame  Berger,  "if 
it  were  night,  and  pitch  dark  into  the  bargain !" 

"  How  very  courageous  !"  observed  Crescenz,  timidly. 

In  the  meantime,  Hamilton  endeavoured  to  "  draw  in  his 
flowing  reins,"  but 

"  a  generous  horse 
Shows  most  true  courage  when  you  check  his  course." 

His  horses  were  no  longer  to  be  restrained,  and  their  impa- 
tient springing  and  dancing  alarmed  Crescenz  more  than 
ever.  At  length  she  could  endure  it  no  longer ;  and  when 
little  more  than  half  way,  insisted  on  getting  out  of  the 
phaeton ;  and  Hamilton  had  the  mortification  of  seeing  her 
take  her  husband's  arm,  and  with  a  look  of  infinite  relief, 
begin  to  walk  off  as  fast  as  she  could. 

"  You  always  lead  me  into  mischief  of  some  kind  or  other  !" 
cried  Hamilton,  provoked  at  Madame  Berger's  laugh  of 
derision.  "  I  shall  keep  out  of  your  way  as  much  as  I  can 
the  rest  of  this  day  !" 

"  You  will  do  no  such  thing,"  she  answered,  saucily. 
"  Those  two  fools  trudging  along  the  road  there  only  live  for 
each  other  at  present — Hildegarde  will  not  talk  to  me,  and  I 
have  not  the  slightest  intention  of  spending  the  day  with 
either  Madame  Rosenberg,  who  lectures  me  about  my  duties 
towards  the  Doctor,  or  old  Mr.  Eisenmann,  who  talks  of 
nothing  but  cactuses  and  iron !  If  you  don't  mean  to  be 
civil  to  me,  turn  back  and  leave  me  at  home  again." 

"  Civil !  oh,  I  have  every  intention  of  being  civil,  but  I 
would  rather  avoid  such  scenes  as  we  had  the  last  day  you 
were  with  us ;  I  was  obliged  to  explain  and  excuse " 

"  And  who  has  a  right  to  demand  an  explanation,  I  should 
like  to  know  ?     Hildegarde,  perhaps  ?" 

"  No,"  answered  Hamilton,  colouring ;  "  it  was  Madame 
Rosenberg,  who  seemed  to  think " 

"  Never  mind  what  she  thinks,  we  mean  no  harm,  and  1  do 
not  see  why  we  should  not  amuse  ourselves ;  but  I  must  tell 
you  something  which  I  observed  the  last  time  I  was  with 
you — Hildegarde  certainly  does  not  like  our  being  such  good 
friends !" 

36* 


426  THE  INITIALS. 

"  I  don't  think  she  cares." 

"  You  don't  know  her  as  well  as  I  do.  Without  particu- 
larly caring  for  you,  she  may — in  fact  she  must,  have  become 
accustomed  to  your  attentions — for  who  else  have  you  to 
talk  to?  Now,  any  lessening  of  the  homage  one  has  been 
used  to  is  sure  to  irritate — should  you  like  to  make  her 
jealous?" 

"Jealous!"  repeated  Hamilton,  and  he  thought  of  what 
had  occurred  the  day  before  in  the  garden.  Could  he  in  any 
way  provoke  her  jealousy,  he  should  be  able  perhaps  to  judge 
of  the  state  of  her  feelings  towards  him ;  if,  as  she  professed, 
but  which  he  could  not  quite  believe,  friendship  was  really 
all  she  felt  for  him,  why  then,  the  magnanimous  plans,  the 
colossal  sacrifices  he  had  lately  so  often  meditated,  would  be 
thrown  away,  and  he  might  after  all  share  the  fate  of  Zed- 
witz.  Here  was  an  opportunity  of  making  the  trial,  without 
committing  either  Hildegarde  or  himself.  The  temptation 
was  strong  to  make  the  experiment,  and  he  again  repeated, 
very  thoughtfully,  the  word  "  Jealous  !" 

"  Yes,  jealous ;  jealous  of  your  allegiance.  She  will  at 
first  think  I  am  to  blame,  but  you  must  show  her  the  con- 
trary.    You " 

"  Stay,"  cried  Hamilton,  "  what  will  Madame  Rosenberg 
say?" 

"  No  matter  what ;  I  shall  give  her  no  opportunity  of  lec- 
turing me.  She  is  too  good-natured  to  tell  the  Doctor,  and 
Biedermann  will  never  hear  anything  about  the  matter." 

"  Biedermann  ?" 

"  Yes,  Theodor ;  he  would  be  much  more  angry  than  the 
Doctor,  I  suspect." 

"  But  what  right  has  he " 

"  Oh,  none  in  the  world ;  but,  you  see  I  have  got  accus- 
tomed to  his  attentions,  and  cannot  do  without  them — he  is 
enormously  prosy  sometimes — but  then  he  loves  me ;  even 
when  he  is  scolding  I  can  observe  it,  and  attribute  half  his 
lectures  to  jealousy.  One  likes  a  little  sentiment  sometimes, 
you  know,  and  once  accustomed  to  these  sort  of  petit  soins, 
it  is  impossible  to  resign  them  without  an  effort,  of  which  I 
confess  I  am  incapable ;  I  should  die  of  ennui." 

"  But,"  said  Hamilton,  "  do  you  not  think  there  is  danger 
in  a  connection  of  the  kind  ?" 

"  Danger !  not  the  least.     He  knows  that  I  loved   him 


THE  EXPERIMENT.  427 

formerly  in  a  foolish,  girlish  sort  of  way,  and  had  we  been  in 
England,  I  have  no  doubt  we  should  have  gone  off  together, 
and  been  miserable  for  life.  The  Doctor  is  a  very  kind,  in- 
dulgent husband,  but  he  has  not  time  to  be  attentive,  and  as 
I  have  no  family  to  occupy  my  time,  I  require  someone  to 
talk  to,  and  amuse  me.  Theodor  is  well  educated,  clever, 
honourable,  and  all  the  sermons  of  my  relations  and  friends 
together  will  not  make  me  give  him  up.  The  world  may 
talk,  and  perhaps  condemn  me — I  care  not,  for  I  know  that 
I  never  have  done,  and  never  mean  to  do  anything  wrong." 

"  And,"  said  Hamilton,  "  if  Biedermann  were  to  marry  ?" 

"  Not  very  probable  for  many  years ;  but  if  he  were,  I 
should  find  someone  else.  You,  for  instance,  would  suit  me 
very  well,  if  you  were  likely  to  remain  here ;  though  I  am 
afraid  I  should  find  you  troublesome." 

"  I  am  afraid  you  would,"  said  Hamilton,  as  he  drew  up 
his  horses  before  the  Iron  Works. 

Hildegarde  ran  out  expecting  to  see  her  sister ;  her  dis- 
appointment changed  into  surprise  when  she  heard  what  had 
occurred,  and  she  said  at  once  that  she  would  go  to  meet 
her.  Perhaps  she  expected  Hamilton  to  accompany  her,  but 
he  either  was,  or  pretended  to  be,  too  much  occupied  with 
Madame  Berger  to  hear  what  she  said,  and  she  set  out  alone. 

More  than  an  hour  elapsed  before  Crescenz,  Major  Stultz, 
and  Hildegarde  appeared,  all  a  good  deal  overheated,  for  the 
day  had  already  become  warm.  They  joined  the  others  in 
the  garden,  and  began  to  saunter  up  and  down  the  narrow 
gravel  walks,  or  to  seek  the  shade  under  the  apple-trees  in 
the  orchard.  Mr.  Eisenmann  immediately  gathered  a  bunch 
of  fresh  roses  for  Crescenz,  and  Madame  Berger,  turning  to 
Hamilton,  desired  him  to  bring  her  some  also. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  or  not  I  can  obey  you,"  he  an- 
swered, laughing ;  "  I  have  been  forbidden  to  pull  flowers 
without  leave,  ever  since  the  day  I  beheaded  some  scores  of 
roses  with  my  riding-whip." 

"  Your  punishment  is  at  an  end,"  said  Hildegarde,  smil- 
ing :  "lam  glad  to  perceive  you  have  not  forgotten  it ;" 
and,  as  she  spoke,  she  pulled  a  half-blown  rose  and  gave  it 
to  him. 

u  Ah  !  that  is  just  the  one  I  was  wishing  to  have,"  cried 
Madame  Berger,  holding  out  her  hand. 

"  You  shall  have  another,  but  not  this  one,"  said  Hamilton. 


428  THE  INITIALS. 

"  That,  and  no  other,"  cried  Madame  Berger ;  and  after 
some  laughing  and  whispering,  he  gave  her  the  flower. 

Hildegarde  was  surprised,  although,  by  a  sort  of  tacit 
agreement,  she  and  Hamilton  usually  avoided  any  exhibition 
of  their  intimacy  or  friendship  when  Madame  Berger  was 
present ;  the  latter  continued,  "  I  have  an  odd  taste,  perhaps, 
but  my  favourite  flower  is  the  common  scarlet  geranium.  I 
do  not  see  one  here." 

"  The  only  plant  I  had,"  said  Mr.  Eisenmann,  "  I  gave  to 
Hildegarde,  and  she  gave  it  to  Hamilton  to  put  on  his  flower- 
stand." 

11  Oh,  if  it  belongs  to  you,"  said  Madame  Berger,  with  a 
light  laugh,  "  I  must  have  a  branch  of  it  directly,"  and  she 
bounded  into  the  house  as  she  spoke. 

"  This  is  too  much,"  cried  Hamilton,  running  after  her. 
A  minute  or  two  afterwards  a  violent  scream  was  heard  from 
his  room,  of  which  both  windows  were  open. 

"  Shall  we  go  and  see  what  has  happened  ?"  whispered 
Crescenz  to  her  sister. 

"  No,  it  is  better  to  leave  them  alone." 

"  Lina  is  growing  worse  and  worse  every  day,"  said  Cre- 
scenz. "  Blazius  does  not  at  all  like  my  being  with  her,  since 
people  have  begun  to  talk  so  much  about  her." 

"  What  do  people  talk  about?" 

"  They  say  that  Mr.  Biedermann  is  now  constantly  with 
her ;  never  out  of  the  house.     In  fact " 

At  this  moment  Hans  ran  past  them  towards  a  shed,  at 
the  end  of  the  orchard,  where  garden  utensils  and  flower- 
pots were  kept,  and  having  taken  one  of  the  latter,  was  re- 
turning to  the  house,  when  Crescenz  asked  what  had  hap- 
pened. 

"  I  don't  exactly  know,  ma'am ;  I  believe  Mr.  Hamilton 
put  a  geranium  on  the  top  of  the  wardrobe,  and  Madame 
Berger,  in  trying  to  take  it  down,  let  it  fall,  and  it  is  broken 
to  pieces." 

"  The  pot  or  the  plant?"  asked  Hildegarde. 

"  Both,  I  believe,  mademoiselle,"  answered  Hans,  hurry- 
ing into  the  house. 

"  How  long  is  she  likely  to  remain  with  him  upstairs  ?" 
asked  Crescenz. 

"  Until  dinner-time,  perhaps,"  answered  Hildegarde,  care- 
lessly ;  "  he  has  got  a  number  of  paintings  on  china  and 


THE  EXPERIMENT.  429 

new  books  to  amuse  her.  But  now  you  must  come  and  see 
what  a  quantity  of  work  I  have  done  lately ;  you  have  no 
idea  how  useful  I  can  be ;  even  mamma  praises  me  some- 
times !" 

The  afternoon  amusement  was,  as  usual,  a  walk  in  the 
oak  wood.  Hamilton  and  Madame  Berger  soon  wandered 
away  from  the  sisters,  and  after  waiting  for  their  return 
more  than  an  hour  near  the  little  chapel,  Hildegarde  and 
Crescenz  began  to  walk  home.  "  Well,  Hildegarde,  what  do 
you  think  of  this  ?"  asked  the  latter,  looking  inquiringly  at 
her  sister's  grave  countenance. 

"  Nothing,"  she  replied  quietly. 

"  So  Blazius  was  quite  mistaken,  it  seems ;  he  said  that 
Mr.  Hamilton  has  long  liked  you,  and  that  you  were  begin- 
ning to  like  him." 

"  He  was  quite  right,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  we  do  like  each 
other  very  much,  especially  since  my  father's  death ;  he  was 
so  very  kind  at  that  time." 

"  Blazius  said  it  was  more  than  mere  liking.  Now  if  you 
cared  for  him  as  Blazius  supposed,  his  conduct  to-day  must 
vex  you,  you  could  not  help  feeling  jealous." 

"  I  have  no  right." 

"  Oh,  one  never  thinks  of  right  on  such  occasions,"  said 
Crescenz,  smiling ;  "  I  remember  the  time  I  used  to  suffer 
tortures  whenever  he  whispered  and  laughed  with  Lina. 
There  was  a  time,  too,  when  I  could  not  have  endured  his 
preferring  you  to  me,  but  now " 

"Now?"  repeated  Hildegarde,  inquiringly. 

"  Now,  I  don't  think  about  him,  and  I  like  Blazius  so 
much  that  I  never  think  of  comparing  them.  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton is  certainly  very  handsome,  but,  as  Blazius  says,  one  gets 
so  accustomed  to  good  looks,  that  at  last  it  makes  no  im- 
pression at  all.  By  the  by,  how  improved  Peppy  is  since  he 
has  been  in  the  country,"  she  added,  as  the  child  ran  to 
meet  her ;  "  I  declare  he  will  be  quite  as  handsome  as  Fritz 
— it  is  impossible  not  to  like  such  noble-looking  creatures. 
I  must  say  they  are  both  a  thousand  times  more  lovable 
than  Gustle,  who  promises  to  be  extremely  plain,  and  not  in 
the  least  like  either  of  us." 

Hildegarde  smiled  at  the  discrepancy  between  the  com- 
mencement and  end  of  her  sister's  speech,  but  took  no  notice 
of  it,  and  they  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  the  arbour,  talk- 


430  THE  [INITIALS. 

ing  over  their  school  adventures,  Crescenz  house  affairs,  and 
Hildegarde's  plans  for  the  future. 

Hamilton  and  Madame  Berger  did  not  return  until  just 
before  supper-time ;  they  entered  into  no  explanation,  and 
made  no  excuses ;  the  latter  merely  observed,  when  ar- 
ranging her  hair  in  Hildegarde's  room,  "  I  really  never  spent 
a  pleasanter  day ;  Mr.  Hamilton  is  positively  charming — 
quite  a  love.  I  must  not  forget  to  wear  the  wreath  of  ivy 
he  took  such  trouble  to  choose  for  me,"  and,  while  speaking, 
she  twisted  a  long  light  branch  with  its  deep  green  leaves 
among  the  tresses  of  her  fair  hair,  and  pushing  back  with 
both  hands  the  mass  of  ringlets  which  covered  her  face,  be- 
stowed a  glance  of  satisfied  vanity  on  the  looking-glass,  and 
flourishing  her  pocket  handkerchief  left  the  room. 

"  I  never  saw  Lina  look  so  pretty  as  she  does  to-day,"  ob- 
served Hildegarde. 

"And  do  you  really  not  feel  angry  with  her?"  asked 
Crescenz,  as  she  put  her  arm  around  her  sister's  waist,  and 
they  began  to  descend  the  stairs  together. 

"  Angry  with  her  for  having  taken  a  long  walk  with  Mr. 
Hamilton  ?" 

"  Ah,  bah  !  you  know  very  well  what  I  mean." 

"  No,  dear  Crescenz,  I  am  not  in  the  least  angry,"  whis- 
pered Hildegarde,  with  a  gay  laugh,  as  she  entered  the  room 
where  the  others  were  just  placing  themselves  at  table. 
Hamilton  looked  up,  and  beheld  her  clear  brow  and  cheerful 
smile  with  painful  uncertainty  ;  Madame  Berger  bent  towards 
him,  and  whispered  "  You  were  right." 

"How?  when?" 

"  She  does  not  care  a  straw  for  you.  I  never  believed  it 
until  to  day." 

Hamilton  bit  his  lip,  and  slightly  frowned. 

"  Oh,  don't  be  annoyed  about  it ;  you  cannot  expect  to 
succeed  with  all  the  world,  you  know.  I  suppose,  having 
nothing  else  to  do  here,  you  have  given  yourself  some  trouble 
to  please  her,  and  it  is  disagreeable  to  find  one's  self  mis- 
taken ;  but  you  may  remember  I  told  you  long  ago  that  she 
would  exact  a  kind  of  love  which  few  men  are  capable  of 
feeling ;  a  sort  of  immaculate  devotion  not  to  be  expected 
from  your  sex,  now  that  the  times  of  knighthood  are  passed. 
She  will  never,  in  these  degenerate  days,  find  anyone  to  love 
her  as  she  imagines  she  deserves." 


THE  EXPERIMENT.  431 

"  And  yet,"  said  Hamilton,  "  she  has  so  little  personal 
canity." 

14  That  I  consider  one  of  her  greatest  defects.  What  is  a 
woman  without  personal  vanity  ?  Avoid  during  the  rest  of 
your  life  all  who  have  not,  at  least,  a  moderate  quantity  of 
it ;  without  it  we  are  abnormous,  unnatural,  and  it  is  impos- 
sible to  know  how  to  manage  us." 

"You  have  really  given  me  a  great  deal  of  information 
to-day,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing;  "a  few  walks  with  you, 
and  I  should  become  a  perfect  tactician." 

"  If  you  choose,  however,  to  try  Hildegarde  further,"  said 
Madame  Berger,  "  you  must  manage  it  yourself.  She  may 
think  you  now,  for  all  I  know,  a  victim  to  my  arts  and  wiles, 
and  more  worthy  of  pity  than  anger." 

Partly  from  pique,  partly  because  he  was  amused,  Hamil- 
ton devoted  himself  altogether  to  Madame  Berger  for  the 
rest  of  the  evening.  He  drew  his  chair  beside  hers  after 
supper,  and  they  continued  together  in  the  little  dark  parlor, 
even  after  all  the  family  had  withdrawn  to  enjoy  the  long 
warm  July  evening  in  the  garden. 

It  was  almost  night  when  Crescenz  came  timidly  into 
the  room,  and  in  an  embarrassed  manner  said  that  she  was 
too  much  afraid  of  Mr.  Hamilton's  horses  to  drive  home 
with  him,   and  that   Mr.  Eisenmann  had  offered   his  car- 


"  His  cart,  my  dear,  you  mean,"  said  Madame  Berger,  in- 
terrupting her,  without  moving  a  feature  of  her  face.  "  I 
recommend  you  to  have  a  few  bars  of  iron  laid  at  the  back, 
the  horses  will  be  all  the  quieter ;  they  are  accustomed  to 
the  sound,  you  know." 

"  I — I  thought,"  said  Crescenz,  "  that  you  would,  perhaps, 
prefer  going  home  with  me  instead " 

"  Oh,  not  at  all,  my  dear ;  I  would  not  separate  you  and 
Major  Stultz  for  the  world ;  besides,  I  am  not  in  the  least 
afraid  either  of  Mr.  Hamilton  or  his  horses.  You  see,"  she 
added,  turning  to  Hamilton,  "  I  take  it  for  granted  that  you 
will  leave  me  at  home." 

"  Of  course.  I  am  only  sorry,"  said  Hamilton  to  Cre- 
scenz, "  that  you  will  not  go  with  us  ;  I  can  almost  promise 
that  the  horses  will  be  quieter  than  in  the  morning." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Crescenz,  rather  stiffly,  "  but  even  if 
they  were  I  should  now  decline  your  offer,  as  Lina  has 


432  THE  INITIALS. 

shown  so  plainly  that  she  does  not  wish  for  my  company,  or, 
indeed,  for  anyone's  excepting  yours." 

"  I  am  overpowered  at  the  severity  of  your  remarks," 
cried  Madame  Berger,  catching  her  arm,  with  a  light  laugh ; 
"  how  fortunate  that  the  darkness  hides  my  blushes.  I  say, 
Cressy,"  she  added,  in  a  lower  voice,  "  is  it  for  yourself  or 
for  Hildegarde  that  you  have  entered  the  lists  ?" 

"  I — I — don't  understand  you,"  said  Crescenz,  releasing 
her  arm,  and  hurrying  out  of  the  room. 

"  Order  your  carriage,"  said  Madame  Berger,  turning 
back  for  a  moment  to  Hamilton  :  "  order  your  carriage  as 
soon  as  possible,  or  I  shall  get  a  lecture  from  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, and  I  am  not  in  a  humour  for  anything  of  the  kind 
just  now." 

The  carriages  were  at  the  door  together.  "  Hans  may 
drive,"  cried  Hamilton,  springing  into  the  phaeton  after 
Madame  Berger ;  and  as  long  as  they  were  in  sight  he 
seemed  to  be  wholly  occupied  with  the  arrangement  of  her 
shawl. 

"  Hildegarde  !  Hildegarde  !  where  have  you  hidden  your- 
self?" cried  Madame  Rosenberg,  about  an  hour  afterwards, 
and  a  voice  from  the  very  end  of  the  orchard  answered, 
"  Here,  mamma,  I  am  coming  directly ;"  but  even  while 
speaking,  Hildegarde  turned  again,  and  with  folded  arms 
and  lingering  steps  continued  her  sentinel-like  walk. 

The  next  day  Hamilton  felt  very  uncertain  whether  or 
not  he  had  acted  wisely.  Hildegarde  was  so  upright  and 
free  from  coquetry  herself  that  he  feared  she  would  not 
easily  understand  his  motives  were  he,  in  exculpation,  to  ex- 
plain them  ;  and  even  if  he  made  them  evident,  she  would 
condemn  them.  He  met  Madame  Rosenberg  on  his  way  to 
breakfast;  heard  the  half-joking,  half-serious  expostulations 
he  had  expected,  and  replied  to  them  as  usual,  with  a  mixt- 
ure of  petulance  and  impertinence. 

He  approached  Hildegarde,  hoping  sincerely  that  he 
should  find  her  angry,  or  at  lest  offended,  but  all  his  efforts 
to  discover  anything  of  the  kind  failed;  she  was,  perhaps,  a 
little  less  cheerful  than  usual,  but  not  enough  to  admit  of 
his  questioning  her.  Before  dinner  she  received  a  letter; 
the  handwriting  was  unknown  to  him,  but  though  burning 
with  curiosity  to  know  from  whom  it  came  when  he  saw  her 
unusual  trepidation  on  receiving  it,  he  dared  not  ask  her, 


THE  EXPERIMENT.  433 

though  he  would  not  have  hesitated  to  have  done  so  the  day 
before.  In  the  afternoon,  when  he  expected  her  to  walk, 
she  sent  Gustle  to  tell  him  that  she  had  a  long  letter  to  write, 
and  could  not  go  out.  The  next  few  days  she  chose  to  assist 
her  mother  in  preserving  fruit,  and  then  appeared  an  inter- 
minable quantity  of  needlework  to  be  done.  Hamilton  felt 
the  change  which  had  taken  place  in  their  intercourse  with- 
out being  able  to  cavil  at  it.  He  felt  that  he  was  to  blame, 
but  he  nevertheless  got  out  of  patience,  and  began  to  drive 
into  Munich  every  day.  No  one  seemed  to  think  he  could 
be  better  employed,  and  many  and  various  were  the  commis- 
sions given  him  by  different  members  of  the  family. 

One  day,  just  as  he  was  telling  Hildegarde  that  he  should 
not  return  until  late  at  night,  as  he  intended  to  go  to  the 
opera,  Madame  Rosenberg  entered  the  room  ;  she  held  in  her 
hand  a  silver  hair-pin  of  curious  filigree  work,  and  exclaimed 
rather  triumphantly,  "  Well,  here  is  Lina  Berger's  silver  pin, 
after  all ;  not  found  in  the  garden,  where  she  said  she  lost  it, 
but  in  your  room,  under  the  wardrobe.  Monica  saw  it  when 
she  was  scouring  the  floor." 

"  Very  likely,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  Madame  Berger  mounted 
a  chair  to  get  at  my  scarlet  geranium,  which  I  hoped  to  have 
placed  out  of  her  reach  on  the  top  of  the  wardrobe ;  by 
making  a  spring  she  caught  the  flower-pot,  but  descended  on 
the  edge  of  the  chair,  which  fell  with  her  to  the  ground.  I 
was  greatly  alarmed,  as  after  the  first  scream  of  fright  she 
became  unusually  quiet,  and  although  she  said  she  was  not 
hurt,  she  lay  on  the  sofa  without  moving  or  opening  her  eyes 
long  after  I  had  transplanted  my  poor  geranium,  and 
mourned  over  it,"  he  added,  looking  towards  Hildegarde. 

Madame  Rosenberg  laughed.  "  That  was  a  trick  to  pre- 
vent you  from  scolding  her  about  the  plant,  which  she  saw 
you  rather  valued." 

"  Perhaps  it  was,"  said  Hamilton,  colouring,  "  and  I  never 
suspected  it." 

"  Well,  you  can  tell  her  your  present  suspicions  to-day 
when  you  give  her  the  hair-pin,  you  know ;"  and  she  held  it 
towards  him  as  she  spoke. 

"  I  never  go  to  Madame  Berger's,"  said  Hamilton,  and  he 
was  glad  to  be  able  to  say  so,  "  but  if  you  choose  to  give  it 
to  Hans,  he  can  leave  it  at  her  house  when  I  go  to  the 
theatre." 

T        ee  37 


434  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Hildegardc,  make  a  little  parcel  of  it,  and  write  her  a 
line,"  said  Madame  Rosenberg. 

Hildegarde  took  her  brother  (rustle's  pen,  and  on  a  leaf 
of  bis  copy-book  wrote  her  a  few  severe  words,  which  not 
even  the  usual  "  dear  Lina,"  or  the  schoolfellow  tutoiment 
could  soften. 

Hamilton  smiled,  and  unconsciously  pulled  his  glove  to- 
wards his  wrist  until  he  tore  it.  "  These  are  the  worst  gloves 
I  have  ever  had,"  he  cried,  impatiently  throwing  them  on 
the  table  ;  "  that  is  the  second  pair  I  have  spoiled  to-day." 

"  The  gloves  seem  to  be  very  good,"  observed  Madame 
Rosenberg,  taking  them  up,  "  and  as  they  are  a  very  pretty 
colour,  Hildegarde  may  as  well  mend  them  for  you,  but  while 
she  is  doing  so  you  must  seal  and  direct  this  parcel  to  Lina," 
and  leaving  them  thus  employed  she  walked  out  of  the 
room. 

"  Permit  me."  said  Hamilton,  half  jestingly,  a  few  minutes 
afterwards,  as  Hildegarde  returned  him  the  gloves,  "permit 
me  to  kiss  your  hand  ;"  and  then  he  added,  "  this  seals  our 
reconciliation  I  hope?" 

"  We  have  had  no  quarrel,  and  require  none,"  answered 
Hildegarde. 

"  Yet  you  have  been  displeased — angry  with  me — have 
you  not?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  I  have  had  no  cause — I  have  no  right " 

"  But  you  know  what  I  mean  ?" 

"  I  think  I  do,"  replied  Hildegarde,  half  smiling,  and 
quite  blushing. 

"  And  what  did  you  suppose  were  my  motives  ?  What 
did  you  think  of  me  ?" 

"  I  thought,  after  all  your  professions  of  regard  for  me, 
you  might  have  waited  until  you  reached  England  before 
you  began  a  new — flirtation." 

"  Then  you  were  a  little — a  very  little  jealous,  perhaps?" 

"  I  think  not — I  hope  not,"  said  Hildegarde,  quickly,  "  for 
it  would  be  very  absurd,  most  ridiculous.  In  fact,"  she 
added,  frankly, "  I  did  not  care  how  much  you  devoted  your- 
self to  Lina,  until  I  perceived  that  you  wished  me  to  ob- 
serve it." 

"  I  did  wish  you  to  observe  it.  I  hoped  to  have  elicited 
some  spark  of  feeling  from  you  in  that  way,  after  having 
failed  in  all  others." 


THE  EXPERIMENT.  435 

"  And  Lina  Berger  was  the  person  chosen  as  assistant — as 
confidant,  perhaps  ?" 

"  I  had  nothing  to  confide.  I  have  never  made  any  secret 
of  my  feelings  towards  you." 

"  So  you  wished  to  show  Lina  Berger  and  everyone  else 
what  you  supposed  were  my  feelings  towards  you  ?  It  was 
an  ungenerous  intention,  Mr.  Hamilton,  all  things  considered, 
as  any  weakness  on  my  part  would  have  merely  served  to 
give  you  a  useless  triumph  ;  but,"  she  added,  with  heightened 
colour,'"  I  am  not  offended,  not  in  the  least  angry  with  you 
— or  jealous  ;  and  for  the  short  time  we  are  likely  to  be  now 
together,  I  hope  we  may  be  as  good  friends  as  we  have  been 
for  the  last  few  months.  The  whole  affair  is  really  not  worth 
talking  about." 

"  I  hope,  however,  you  do  me  the  justice  to  believe  me 
perfectly  indifferent  to  Madame  Berger  ?" 

"  About  as  indifferent  as  she  is  towards  you.  You  flatter 
each  other,  and  vanity  draws  you  together." 

"  And  you  do  not  mind  our  being  drawn  together?" 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  said  Hildegarde,  composedly. 

"  I  believe  you,  I  believe  you.  I  am  thoroughly  convinced 
of  your  indifference,  and  require  no  further  proof.  I  am 
sorry  for  it,  but — perhaps  it  is  all  for  the  best."  At  the  door 
he  turned  back,  and  added,  "  We  have  not  quarrelled,  Hilde- 
garde? we  are  friends  at  least?" 

"  Friends !  oh,  certainly,  though  ever  so  far  apart,"  an- 
swered Hildegarde,  with  a  forced  smile.  "  One  so  poor  in 
friends  as  I  am  grasps  even  at  the  name." 

Hamilton  noiselessly  closed  the  door,  and  she  bent  over 
her  work  until  some  large  tears  began  to  drop  on  it,  and  a 
choking  feeling  in  her  throat  induced  her  to  go  to  the  open 
window,  where  she  leaned  out  as  far  as  the  numerous  plants 
would  permit,  and  gazed  long  into  the  orchard  without  dis- 
tinguishing a  single  object  that  lay  before  her. 


436  THE  INITIALS. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE   RECALL. 

About  a  fortnight  after  the  foregoing  events,  as  Hamilton 
was  one  morning  sitting  listlessly  in  the  arbour  at  the  end  of 
the  garden,  Hildegarde  came  towards  him  carrying  a  large 
packet  of  letters,  which  Hans  had  just  brought  from  Munich. 
As  she  placed  herself  beside  him  he  looked  at  the  different 
handwritings,  and  murmured,  "  My  sister  Helen — my  father 
— John,  and — from  Uncle  Jack,  too  !  With  what  different 
feelings  should  I  have  received  these  letters  a  short  time 
ago !  Don't  go  away,  Hildegarde ;  I  have  no  intention  of 
making  you  any  reproaches  or  speeches,  and  I  may,  perhaps, 
want  your  advice  about  fixing  the  day  of  my  departure." 

She  sat  down  on  the  steps  leading  into  the  arbour,  leaned 
her  elbow  on  her  knee  and  her  head  in  her  hands,  and  re- 
mained perfectly  immovable  for  more  than  half  an  hour. 
She  was  not  musing  on  the  past,  or  thinking  of  the  future ; 
she  heard  her  heart  beat  distinctly,  and  would,  perhaps,  have 
endeavoured  to  count  its  throbs  had  she  not  felt  irresistibly 
compelled  to  listen  to  a  most  inharmonious  and  lamentable 
ditty  sung  by  the  cook  as  she  scoured  her  kitchen  furniture 
near  an  open  window.  Some  vague  ideas  of  the  happiness 
of  those  whose  thoughts  never  soar  beyond  the  polishing  of 
pots  and  pans,  or  the  concocting  of  meats  within  them, 
floated  through  her  mind ;  and  then  appeared  a  vision  of  a 
nunnery  garden,  with  very  green  grass  and  long  gravel 
walks ;  and  then  Hamilton  rustled  the  paper  of  his  letters, 
and  she  expected  him  to  speak,  and  when  he  did  not  she 
a^ain  listened  to  the  monotonous  song,  and  wondered  if  it 


had  no  end. 

The  song  continued,  but  she  ceased  to  hear  it,  for  Hamil- 
ton spoke  at  length,  and  she  turned  round  to  answer  him. 

"  These  letters  contain  the  recall  I  have  been  expecting," 
he  said,  folding  them  up,  "  and  also  a  large  sum  of  money 
for  my  journey,  more,  much  more  than  I  shall  require  ;  my 
uncle   measures   my  expenses  by  my  brother's.     In  short, 


THE  RECALL.  437 

neither  he  nor  any  of  my  family  have  in  the  least  degree 
comprehended    my  position   here ;    their    ignorance    would 

shock  you "     He  stopped,  evidently  embarrassed.     His 

uncle's  letter  would,  indeed,  have  shocked  her ;  he  had 
offered  to  send  Hamilton  any  sum  of  money  necessary  to 
buy  off  the  claims  which  Hildegarde  or  her  family  might 
have  upon  him. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  they  expect  you  home 
directly." 

"  They  rather  wish  me  to  visit  the  Z s',  as  they  have 

become  acquainted  lately  with  some  of  their  connections." 

"  And  you  intend  to  do  so  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  have  no  particular  wish  to  return  home  directly, 
though  I  see  they  expect  me  in  about  a  fortnight  or  three 
weeks." 

"  In  that  case  you  will  have  to  leave  us  soon — very  soon." 

"How  soon?"  asked  Hamilton,  endeavouring  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  her  face,  which  was,  perhaps  purposely,  averted. 

"  You  are  the  best  judge  of  that,"  she  answered,  rising 
from  her  lowly  seat ;  "  if  leaving  us  be  disagreeable  to  you, 
the  sooner  you  get  over  it  the  better." 

"  It  is  more  than  disagreeable — it  is  painful  to  me."  He 
paused,  and  then  added,  hastily,  "  I  shall  take  your  advice 
and  leave  to-morrow."  More  than  a  minute  he  waited  for 
her  to  speak  again,  one  word  or  one  look  might  at  that 
moment  have  changed  all  his  plans,  but  finding  that  she 
remained  silent,  he  slowly  gathered  up  his  letters,  and 
walked  thoughtfully  into  the  house. 

Madame  Rosenberg  talked  more  than  enough  ;  she  thought 
it  necessary  to  put  the  whole  house  in  commotion,  and  was 
so  anxious  to  prove  to  him  that  all  his  clothes  were  in  order, 
that  she  followed  him  to  his  room,  and  actually  herself 
packed  all  his  portmanteaux  and  cases ;  she  then  seated 
herself  on  one  of  the  former,  and  began  to  question  him 
about  what  he  intended  to  do  with  Hans,  the  horses,  and 
phaeton. 

"  I  shall  take  Hans  to  England  with  me,  and  leave  the 
horses  at  Munich  to  be  sold.  I  dare  say  Stultz  will  take 
the  trouble  of  looking  after  them  for  me." 

"  Dear  me,  how  surprised  he  will  be — and  Crescenz — and 
Lina   Berger.     Really,  the  whole  thing  is  so  unexpected, 

that  one  has  no  time  to  think,  or  feel,  or  understand " 

*37* 


438  THE  INITIALS. 

"  That  is  just  what  I  wished,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  I  hope 
not  to  have  time  to  think  or  feel,  for  I  leave  your  house 
most  unwillingly,  but  leave  it  I  must,  as  my  father  and 
uncle  expect  me  home  in  a  week  or  two,  and  I  am  going  first 
to  the  Z s'." 

"  Pray  give  the  Baroness  my  compliments,"  said  Madame 
Rosenberg;  "it  was  very  civil  of  her  taking  the  children 
home — that  evening,  you  know." 

Hamilton  remembered  the  evening,  but  he  thought  it  was 
very  probable  he  should  forget  the  compliments. 

"  Sorry  as  I  am  to  lose  you,"  continued  Madame  Rosen- 
berg, "  I  must  say  I  think  your  relations  are  right  to  insist 
on  your  return ;  as  my  father  said  yesterday,  a  young  man 
with  your  capabilities  being  allowed  to  waste  your  time  as 
you  have  been  doing,  is  perfectly  incomprehensible." 

"My  object  was  to  learn  German,  and  I  have  learned  it," 
said  Hamilton. 

"  It  would  have  been  better  for  you  if  Hildegarde  and 
Crescenz  had  not  spoken  French  so  well.  My  father  says, 
too,  you  speak  English  now  with  Hildegarde ;  I'm  sure  I 
don't  know  how  she  learned  it.  I  never  could  learn  French, 
though  I  have  often  tried,  and  I  am  not  a  stupid  person  in 
other  things.  I'm  very  glad,  however,  that  she  has  learned 
English,  though  I  formerly  thought  it  unnecessary.  Four 
languages  for  a  girl  not  yet  eighteen  is  pretty  well,  as  poor 
dear  Franz  used  to  say,  and " 

"  Four  languages,"  repeated  Hamilton ;  "  what  is  the 
fourth  ?" 

"  Why,  do  you  not  know  that  she  speaks  and  writes 
Italian  quite  as  well  as  French?  Mademoiselle  Hortense 
is  a  half  Italian,  and  she  spared  no  pains  in  teaching  her, 
most  fortunately,  as  it  has  turned  out,  for  the  lady  with 
whom  she  is  likely  to  be  placed  particularly  requires  Italian, 
as  she  is  going  to  Italy  next  year." 

"  So  Hildegarde  is  to  leave  you  also  ?" 

"  Yes.  I  was  at  first  very  unwilling,  and,  indeed,  should 
not  have  consented  were  I  still  in  Munich ;  but,  you  see, 
here  she  is  never  likely  to  marry,  and  after  her  sister  has 
made  such  an  excellent  match,  she  would  not  be  satisfied 
with  our  Forster,  Mr.  Weidmann,  I  am  afraid." 

"  I  should  think  not,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Now,  as  she  is  certainly  remarkably  handsome,"  con- 


THE  RECALL.  439 

tinued  Madame  Rosenberg,  "  and  within  the  last  year  greatly 
improved,  too,  I  should  not  at  all  wonder  if,  at  Frankfort  or 
Florence,  she  were  to  pick  up  someone " 

"  Not  at  all  unlikely,"  observed  Hamilton. 

"  Or  if  old  Count  Zedwitz  were  to  die,  perhaps  his  son 
might  again " 

Hamilton  began  to  stride  up  and  down  the  room  with 
unequivocal  signs  of  irritation. 

"  I  see  all  this  is  uninteresting  to  you,"  said  Madame 
Kosenberg,  placing  her  hands  on  her  knees  to  assist  her  in 
rising  from  her  low,  unsteady  seat.  "  How  can  I  expect  you 
to  care  who  she  marries,  or  where  she  goes,  or,  indeed,  what 
becomes  of  any  of  us  now  ?  In  a  few  weeks  you  will  have 
forgotten  us  altogether !" 

"  How  little  you  know  me !"  cried  Hamilton,  taking  her 
hand  as  she  was  passing  him  ;  "  I  shall  never  forget  you,  or 
the  happy  days  passed  in  your  house,  and  am  so  sincerely 
attached  to  you  and  all  your  family,  that  nothing  will  give 
me  greater  pleasure  than  hearing  of  or  from  you.  I  shall 
leave  you  my  address  in  London,  and  hope  that  you,  and 
your  father,  and  the  children,  will  often  write  to  me.  When 
Fritz  comes  home  for  the  holidays  I  shall  expect  a  long 
letter,  not  written  from  a  copy,  and  in  his  best  handwriting, 
but  unrestrained,  and  telling  me  everything  about  you  all." 

"  Well,  I  really  believe  you  do  like  us,"  cried  Madame 
Rosenberg,  the  tears  starting  to  her  eyes ;  "  but,  after  all, 
not  as  well  as  we  like  you ;  and  now,  I  think  I  had  better 
leave  you,  or  else  I  shall  make  an  old  fool  of  myself." 

Hamilton's  hours  that  day  were  winged  ;  they  flew  past 
uneasily,  like  birds  before  an  approaching  storm.  The  after- 
noon, evening,  and  night  came ;  Mr.  Eisenmann  dozed, 
Madame  Rosenberg  inspected  her  sleeping  children,  and 
Hildegarde  and  Hamilton  for  the  first  time  sat  gravely  and 
silently  beside  each  other ;  neither  of  them  had  courage  to 
attempt  the  mockery  of  unconcerned  conversation ;  each 
equally  feared  a  betrayal  of  weakness,  and  it  was  a  relief  to 
both  when  the  time  for  moving  arrived.  Mr.  Eisenmann 
retired  quietly  to  his  room  on  the  ground  floor ;  Madame 
Rosenberg,  after  wishing  Hamilton  good-night,  took  the 
house-keys  out  of  the  cupboard  and  commenced  her  usual 
nightly  examination  of  all  the  windows  and  doors.  Hamil- 
ton sprang  up  the  stairs,  and  watched  at  the  door  of  his 


440  THE  INITIALS. 

chamber  until  he  heard  Hildegarde  separate  from  her 
mother  and  begin  to  ascend ;  he  waited  until  she  had 
deposited  her  candle  and  work-basket  on  the  table  in  her 
room,  and  as  she  afterwards  advanced  to  close  the  door,  he 
called  her  out  on  the  lobby,  and  said,  hurriedly,  "  Hildegarde, 
I  shall  have  no  opportunity  of  speaking  to  you  alone  to- 
morrow, and  must  take  advantage  of  this  to  ask  you  to 
forgive  and  forget  all  my  faults  and  failings." 

"  I  cannot  remember  any,"  said  Hildegarde. 

"  You  say  so,  but  I  know  you  think  that  I  endeavoured  to 
gain  your  affections  without  any  fixed  purpose.  That  is  true 
— I  mean,  this  was  true  until  lately — but  that  is  of  no  im- 
portance now.  Then,  I  must  confess  I — I  was  not  sorry  for 
the  unpleasant  termination  of  the  affair  with  Zedwitz.  I 
now,  too,  see  that  I  ought  not  to  have  come  here  with  you, 
still  less  should  I  have  endeavoured  to  make  you  jealous 
or " 

"  Oh,  I  give  you  absolution  for  all,"  cried  Hildegarde, 
interrupting  him,  "  and  hope  you  will  endeavour  to  forget 
how  often  you  have  seen  me  impatient  or  in  a  passion." 

"  I  have  already  forgotten  it,  and  wish  I  could  forget 
everything  else  besides  that  has  occurred  during  the  last 
eleven  months.  We  have  been  eleven  months  together,  have 
we  not?" 

"  I  believe  so,"  answered  Hildegarde,  thoughtfully.  "  It 
appears  to  me  much  longer ;  my  life  has  been  so  different 
from  what  it  was  before  that  time,  I  feel  almost  as  if  I  had 
known  you  eleven  years." 

The  sound  of  closing  doors  no  longer  distant  made  Ham- 
ilton whisper  anxiously,  "  I  shall  not  find  it  easy  to  part  from 
you  with  becoming  firmness  before  so  many  witnesses  to- 
morrow, Hildegarde;  still  less  should  I  have  courage  to 
entreat  you  once  more  to  accept  the  little  watch  which  you 
so  unkindly  returned  to  me  last  Christmas.  Will  you  again 
refuse  it  ?" 

"  No,"  she  replied,  "  although  I  should  have  greatly  pre- 
ferred something  of  less  value  ;  I  only  wish  I  had  something 
to  bestow  in  return  ;  but  I  have  nothing,  absolutely  nothing." 

"  Stay,"  said  Hamilton,  with  some  hesitation,  "  you  have 
something  which  you  value  highly,  though  I  do  not  know 
why ;    a  little   mysterious   bauble,  which   I  should  like  to 


THE  RECALL.  441 

"  Name  it,  and  it  is  yours,"  said  Hildegarde,  eagerly. 

He  placed  his  finger  on  the  hair  bracelet  which  she  con- 
stantly wore. 

"Ah!  my  bracelet!"  cried  Hildegarde,  with  a  look  of 
surprise,  "  if  you  wish  for  it,  certainly ;  in  fact  it  is  better." 
She  held  her  arm  towards  the  door  of  her  room,  that  the 
light  from  the  candle  might  fall  on  it,  and  Hamilton  thought 
he  saw  tears  in  her  eyes  as  she  endeavoured  to  unclasp  it. 

"  I  only  value  it  because  you  appear  so  attached  to  it,"  he 
said,  half  apologetically.  "  Before  it  comes  into  my  posses- 
sion, however,  you  must  tell  me  whose  hair  I  am  about  to 
guard  so  carefully  for  the  rest  of  my  life ;  not  Mademoiselle 
Hortense's  I  hope." 

"  No,"  said  Hildegarde,  holding  it  towards  him. 

"  Tell  me  whose  hair  it  is !"  he  cried  eagerly,  for  Madame 
Rosenberg's  heavy  step  and  the  jingling  of  her  large  keys 
became  every  moment  more  audible.  As  she  approached  the 
staircase,  he  again  repeated,  "  Whose  hair  ?"  but  Hildegarde, 
instead  of  answering,  sprang  into  her  room  just  as  a  long  ray 
of  light  from  her  mother's  candle  reached  the  spot  where 
they  stood.  Madame  Rosenberg  found  Hamilton's  door  shut, 
and  Hildegarde  on  her  knees  beside  her  bed,  with  her  head 
buried  in  her  hands. 

And  Hamilton  never  suspected  that  the  bracelet  he  ex- 
amined so  long  and  earnestly  that  night  was  made  of  his 
own  hair,  obtained  at  the  time  he  had  been  wounded  in  the 
head,  by  the  fall  from,  or  rather  with,  his  horse. 

The  whole  family  were  assembled  at  an  early  hour  the 
next  morning  to  witness  his  departure.  Madame  Rosenberg 
unreservedly  applied  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes ;  her 
father  looked  grave ;  the  two  little  boys,  half  frightened  at 
the  unusual  solemnity  of  the  breakfast  table,  whispered  and 
nudged  each  other,  while  Hildegarde,  pale  as  the  wife  of 
Seneca,  was  apparently  the  only  unmoved  person  present. 

Hamilton  took  leave  of  all  the  workmen  and  servants, 
shook  hands  with  Mr.  Eisenmann,  was  kissed  in  the  most 
maternal  manner  on  both  cheeks  by  Madame  Rosenberg, 
embraced  the  little  boys,  and  held  Hildegarde's  hand  in  his 
just  long  enough  to  cause  a  transient  blush  to  pass  over  her 
features  and  make  her  look  like  herself. 

After  he  had  driven  off,  he  turned  round  in  the  carriage 
to  take  a  last  look,  and  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  her  beautiful 


442  THE  INITIALS. 

features  had  turned  to  marble,  so  cold  and  statue-like  were 
they.  Madame  Rosenberg  was  returning  into  the  house, 
talking  to  her  cook ;  the  old  man  was  gayly  playing  with 
the  children ;  Hildegarde  stood  alone,  motionless,  on  the  spot 
where  he  had  left  her. 

"  Is  that  indifference  ?"  thought  Hamilton. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

HOHENFELS. 


It  was  late  on  the  evening  of  the  ensuing  day  when 
Hamilton  reached  Hohenfels,  a  moderate-sized,  high-roofed 
dwelling-house,  having  two  dark-coloured  massive  square 
towers  as  wings.  It  was  beautifully  situated  on  the  side  of 
a  rocky  mountain,  from  which  circumstance  it  probably 
derived  its  name.  Avenue  there  was  none ;  the  narrow 
private  road  which  conducted  to  it  (though  passing  through 
woods  with  open  glades,  which,  even  without  their  splendid 
mountain  background,  would  have  successfully  rivalled  any 
avenue  Hamilton  had  ever  seen  in  England)  was  evidently 
intended  to  serve  equally  as  an  approach  to  several  com- 
fortable peasants'  houses,  which,  apparently,  more  than  the 
genius  of  an  engineer,  had  originally  directed  its  course. 

The  buildings,  at  a  little  distance  from  Hohenfels,  Ham- 
ilton now  instinctively  knew  to  be  a  brewery  and  its  append- 
ages, and  he  examined  them  with  less  curiosity,  but  infinitely 
more  interest,  than  on  a  former  occasion.  If  he  did  not 
quite  consider  beer  (as  some  one  has  not  inaptly  pronounced 
it)  a  fifth  element  in  Bavaria,  he  had  at  least  so  frequently 
heard  its  merits,  demerits,  and  price  canvassed,  that  he  began 
to  attach  considerable  importance  to  the  subject,  and  rather 
prided  himself  on  being  able  to  talk  about  it. 

On  driving  into  the  court,  he  looked  up  along  the  range 
of  windows,  and  discovered  with  great  pleasure  A.  Z.  standing 
at  one  of  them.  He  had  not  had  time  to  write,  or  in  any- 
way to  announce  his  visit,  therefore. her  first  look  of  surprise 
rather  amused  him ;  when  they  met,  and  she  regretted  that 
her  husband  was  on  a  hunting  expedition,  and  would  not  be 


HOHENFELS.  443 

at  home  until  the  next  day,  he  was  glad  that  no  letter  from 
him  had  interfered  with  the  arrangement.  They  supped 
together  under  a  large  chestnut  tree,  commanding  an  exten- 
sive view  of  woods,  mountains,  and  a  part  of  the  Chiem 
Lake,  now  glittering  in  all  the  radiance  of  a  magnificent 
sunset. 

"  I  had  no  idea,"  said  Hamilton,  "  that  you  were  so  near 
home  when  I  met  you  at  Seon  last  summer.  I  understand 
now  why  you  were  always  on  the  move,  and  we  saw  so  little 
of  you.  By  the  by,  I  should  like  to  hear  something  of  the 
Zedwitzes ;  they  are  relations  or  intimate  friends  of  yours,  I 
believe  ?" 

"  Distant  relations,  but  very  near  and  dear  friends,"  an- 
swered A.  Z.  "  I  am  sorry  I  have  nothing  satisfactory  to 
tell  you ;  the  old  Count  is  killing  himself  as  fast  as  he  can 
with  perspiration  and  cold  water ;  his  wife  had  a  fit  of 
apoplexy  this  summer,  from  which  she  is,  however,  nearly 
recovered ;  and  Maximilian  has,  you  know,  been  constantly 
from  home  since  that  unpleasant  business  with  the  Rosenberg 
family.  He  was  with  us  for  a  few  weeks,  and  I  never  in  my 
life  saw  a  man  in  such  a  state  of  desperation ;  his  only  con- 
solation was  talking  to  me  about  this  '  cunningest  pattern  of 
excellent  nature,'  this  Hildegarde,  and  as  I  had  a  great  deal 
to  do  in  my  house,  and  could  not  always  find  time  to  listen 
to  him,  he  used  to  wander  about,  writing  sonnets,  I  should 
imagine,  from  the  poetical  expression  of  his  dear  ugly  face." 

"  So  he  told  you  all  about  it?"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Yes,  and  about  you,  too ;  that  is,  all  he  knew  about  you. 
He  seemed  to  have  dreaded  you  excessively  as  a  rival ;  indeed, 
he  does  so  still,  for  were  his  father  to  die,  I  have  not  the 
smallest  doubt  he  would  renew  his  proposal,  and  perhaps  be 
accepted." 

"  I  admire  his  patience  and  perseverance,"  said  Hamilton, 
ironically ;  "  one  downright  refusal  such  as  he  received  would 
have  satisfied  me." 

"  Circumstances  might  materially  alter  the  state  of  the 
case,"  said  A.  Z.  "  Suppose  this  flirtation  with  you  quite 
over — you  have  left,  most  probably,  without  any  sort  of 
serious  explanation ;  now  I  have  no  doubt  you  are  very 
charming,  but,  you  know,  people  do  get  over  hopeless  affairs 
of  this  kind  in  the  course  of  time,  and  in  the  course  of  time, 
too,  Maximilian  will  be  at  liberty  to  marry  whoever  he  pleases. 


444  THE  INITIALS. 

I  cannot  imagine  his  being  refused  again,  he  is  so  exactly 
the  sort  of  man  most  women  like." 

"  He  does  not  think  so  himself,"  observed  Hamilton. 

"  That  is  his  great  charm,"  said  A.  Z.  "  Diffident  enthusi- 
astic men  are  almost  always  popular.  I  have  a  decided 
predilection  for  them." 

"  I  think,  however,  you  are  singular  in  your  taste,"  said 
Hamilton. 

"Not  at  all,"  rejoined  A.  Z.  ;  "the  secret  may  be  that 
such  men  think  less  of  themselves,  and  more  of  the  person 
they  wish  to  please ;  but  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  you  will 
find  that  it  is  an  ugly  man  who  inspires  real  affection.  It  is 
very  creditable  to  our  sex,  you  must  allow ;  one  so  very 
seldom  hears  of  a  man  who  loves  a  really  ugly  woman." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,"  said  Hamilton.  "  My  experi- 
ence has  not  been  great.  I  only  know  that  T  am  now  very 
seriously,  and,  I  fear,  hopelessly  in  love  with  a  very  young 
and  very  beautiful  woman." 

"  You  will  get  over  it,"  observed  A.  Z.,  laughing.  "  A  few 
months  in  London,  if  it  were  not  so  late  in  the  year " 

"  You  are  mistaken,"  said  Hamilton,  gravely  ;  "  neither  a 
few  months  nor  a  few  years  either  are  likely  to  change  my 
feelings." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  it,"  said  A.  Z.,  thoughtfully  ;  "  never 
will  I  sign  a  letter  with  my  initials  again." 

"  I  had  quite  forgotten  that  your  note  was  the  cause  of 
all  this  evil,"  said  Hamilton,  smiling,  "  but  there  would  be 
no  evil  at  all  if  Hildegarde  liked  me." 

"So  it  is  all  on  your  side,"  observed  A.  Z.,  with  some 
surprise. 

"  I  don't  know,  but  I  am  afraid  so.  If  it  will  not  bore 
you,  I  should  like  to  explain,  and  ask  your  advice " 

"  Stay,"  cried  A.  Z.,  "  I  don't  at  all  know  this  Hildegarde, 
and  I  now  do  know  something  of  you  and  your  family,  and 
shall  therefore  certainly  recommend  you  to  break  off  the 
affair,  if  you  can  do  so  with  honour  ;  and  that  you  can  do 
so  is  scarcely  to  be  doubted,  if  you  imagine  her  indifferent 
to  you." 

"  But  suppose  she  had  been  indifferent  only  because  I  said 
I  could  not  marry." 

"  It  would  prove  that  she  is  as  prudent  as  she  is  pretty, 
and  that  is  saying  a  great  deal,"  answered  A.  Z.,  gayly  ;  "  and 


HOHENFELS.  445 

as  you  can  not  marry,  the  least  said  about  the  matter  the 
better." 

"  You  do  not  quite  understand  the  state  of  the  case," 
began  Hamilton.     "  You  see  I  have  a  grand  uncle " 

"  Called  Jack,"  observed  A.  Z. 

"  Exactly,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  and  this  Uncle  Jack  made  a 
fortune  in  India,  in  those  times  when  fortunes  were  to  be 
made  there,  and  added  to  this  fortune  by  speculations  in  the 
funds  at  the  end  of  the  last  war ;  we  have  consequently  a 
great  respect  for  him." 

"  Of  course,"  said  A.  Z. ;  "  people  always  have  a  respect 
for  rich  uncles,  both  in  books  and  real  life.  I  never  had 
one,  but  I  can  imagine  the  thing." 

"  As  he  had  no  children,"  continued  Hamilton,  "  my 
father  prudently  chose  him  as  godfather  to  his  eldest  son, 
who  was  accordingly  afflicted  with  the  name  of  John,  but 
even  in  his  earliest  youth  it  was  found  that  the  name  would 
not  cover  the  multitude  of  his  sins,  poor  fellow,  and  while  I 
was  still  a  mere  child  my  uncle  declared  that  John  would 
inherit  from  his  father  more  than  he  would  ever  deserve, 
and  that  I,  and  I  alone,  should  be  his  heir.  He  defrayed 
all  the  expenses  of  my  education,  gave  me  ponies,  and 
pocket  money,  and  would  have  paid  my  debts,  I  do  believe, 
without  hesitation,  if  I  had  had  any  at  Cambridge.  Since 
I  have  been  here,  too,  he  has  sent  me  large  remittances 
through  my  father,  and  latterly,  I  suspect,  forbidden  the 
words  of  wisdom  which  usually  accompanied  them.  The 
first  letter  I  ever  received  from  him  was  the  day  before 
yesterday ;  he  had  heard — more  than  was  necessary,  more 
than  was  true — of  Hildegarde,  and  you  can  imagine  his 
proposing  to  send  me  money  to  buy  off — to  pay — to  satisfy 
— pshaw  !  where  is  the  letter  ?  You  must  read  it,  or  you 
will  never  understand " 

"  He  does  not  understand,  that  is  very  evident,"  observed 
A.  Z.     "  You  need  not  show  me  the  letter,  but  go  on." 

"  When  I  told  Hildegarde  that  I  must  return  home,  she 
recommended  my  leaving  directly ;  she  had,  indeed,  advised 
me  to  do  so  before  the  letter  arrived." 

"  And  did  she  give  you  this  advice  without  any  apparent 
effort?" 

"  Without  apparent  effort,  yes  ;  but  she  is  not  to  be  judged 
from  appearances.    She  has  been  educated  by  a  Mademoiselle 

38 


446  THE  INITIALS. 

Hortense,  who  has  given  her  the  idea  that,  besides  controlling 
her  temper,  which  is  naturally  hasty,  she  should  endeavour 
to  conceal  all  her  feelings,  and,  if  possible,  stifle  them  alto- 
gether. If  Hildegarde  had  not  been  naturally  warm-hearted, 
hot-tempered,  and  intellectual,  such  an  education  would  have 
completely  spoiled  her." 

"  But,"  said  A.  Z.,  "  after  having  lived  nearly  a  year  in 
the  same  house,  if  you  can  have  any  doubts  about  her  caring 
for  you " 

"  Stay,"  cried  Hamilton,  interrupting  her,  "  you  are  not, 
perhaps,  aware  that  I  proclaimed  myself  a  younger  son,  and 
said  I  could  not  marry,  even  before  I  entered  the  Rosenbergs' 
house,  and,  as,  until  very  lately,  I  never  seriously  thought  of 
sacrificing  my  really  brilliant  prospects,  Hildegarde  is  still 
unconscious  that  even,  with  the  best  intentions,  I  could  have 
acted  otherwise  than  as  I  have  done.  I  have  been  more 
calculating  and  worldly-minded  than  befits  such  an  attach- 
ment, but  latterly,  as  the  time  drew  near  when  I  knew  we 
must  part,  I  was  ready  to  brave  all  my  family  and  be  disin- 
herited by  my  uncle  if  she  had  only  said  one  word,  given  me 
one  look,  from  which  I  could  have  felt  certain  that  she  loved 
me." 

"I  suppose,"  said  A.  Z.,  rising,  and  walking  towards  the 
house,  "  I  suppose,  from  what  you  have  just  said,  that  you 
have  some  fortune  independent  of  your  family — enough,  at 
least,  to  buy  bread  and  butter  ?" 

11 1  have  five  thousand  pounds.  A  legacy  left  me  by  a 
distant  relation,  but  it  is  not  at  my  disposal  for  two  years. 
This  would  not  be  enough  for  England ;  but  I  think  here, 
as  you  say,  it  would  perhaps  buy  bread  and  butter " 

"Oh,  yes!"  said  A.  Z.,  laughing,  "and  roast  veal  and 
pudding  into  the  bargain,  but  that  is  not  all  that  is  to  be 
considered.  You  ought  not  to  make  so  great  a  sacrifice 
without  considering  long  and  carefully  both  sides  of  the 
question." 

"  Oh,  I  have  considered  only  too  long,"  answered  Hamil- 
ton, "  but  I  see  you  cannot  understand  me,  or  know  Hilde- 
garde without  reading  my  journal.  I  had  some  intention  of 
leaving  it  under  your  care,  at  all  events,  and  I  shall  only  beg 
of  you  never  to  refer  to  that  part  of  it  which  relates  to 
Count  Oscar  Kaimund." 

"  I  think  I  already  know,"  said  A.  Z.,  "  his  father  showed 


HOHENFELS.  447 

me  the  letter  he  had  written  the  day  he  had  shot  himself. 
Does  Mademoiselle  Rosenberg  know  that  she  was  the  cause  ?" 

"  But  too  well,  as  you  will  perceive  from  my  journal," 
answered  Hamilton  ;  "  you  really  seem  to  know  everybody 
and  everything,  which,  however,  no  longer  surprises  me,  as 
I  am  myself  willing  on  so  short  an  acquaintance  to  confide 
in  you.     I  suppose  other  people  have  done  the  same." 

"  Not  exactly,"  answered  A.  Z.,  "  but  as  I  know  the  Zed- 
witzes,  the  Raimunds,  the  Bergers,  and  even  Mr.  Bieder- 
mann,  and  as  you,  from  the  peculiarity  of  the  commence- 
ment of  our  acquaintance,  rather  interested  me,  I  have 
thought  it  worth  while  to  listen,  and  remember  all  I  have 
heard  about  you." 

"  How  very  kind  !"  said  Hamilton. 

"  You  say  that  thoughtlessly,"  observed  A.  Z.,  laughing, 
"  but  it  really  was  kind  of  me,  for  I  greatly  prefer  talking  to 
listening  on  most  occasions." 

"  Will  reading  my  journal  bore  you  ?" 

"  Not  in  the  least.  I  shall  be  curious  to  know  the  impres- 
sion made  on  you  by  all  you  must  have  seen  of  the  domestic 
manners  you  were  so  anxious  to  become  acquainted  with  last 
year.  Have  you  given  up  all  idea  of  writing  a  book  on  the 
subject?" 

"  I  have  been  a  much  too  greatly  interested  actor  to  have 
thought  of  anything  of  the  kind,  as  you  will  see." 

"  Before  I  read  your  journal,"  said  A.  Z.,  "  that  is  before 
I  feel  any  interest  in  this  Hildegarde,  you  must  allow  me  to 
point  out  to  you  all  the  disadvantages  of  the  step  you  pro- 
pose taking,  and  remind  you  that  the  sacrifice  of  parents, 
relations,  the  friends  of  your  youth,  your  country,  and  your 
native  language,  ought  not  to  be  lightly  made.  I  speak  from 
experience." 

"  But  you  told  me,"  said  Hamilton,  "  that  you  felt  quite 
naturalised — that  you  had  become  a  very  Bavarian !  I 
know,  too,  you  are  more  than  contented ;  you  are  happy. 
The  Countess  Zedwitz  told  me  so." 

"  Very  true,"  answered  A.  Z.,  "  but  I  am  a  woman,  and 
that  alters  the  case  materially ;  both  our  nature  and  educa- 
tion induce  us  to  conform  to  the  habits  of  those  about  us — 
we  have  no  profession,  no  career  in  life  to  give  up,  we  have 
only  to  learn  to  enlarge  or  contract  our  sphere  of  action, 
according  to  the  circumstances  in  which  we  may  be  placed. 


448  THE  INITIALS. 

For  instance,  Mademoiselle  Rosenberg  would  most  probably, 
without  hesitation,  go  with  you  to  England  were  your  uncle 
to  consent  to  your  marriage." 

"  I  cannot  help  thinking  that — perhaps — she  would," 
answered  Hamilton. 

"  And  if  she  did,  she  would  never  have  any  cause  to  regret 
having  done  so,  for  besides  being  united  to  the  person  she 
loved,  she  would  only  have  to  learn  to  live  luxuriously,  and 
habits  of  that  kind  are  easily  acquired ;  but  after  having  so 
lived,  frugality  is  more  difficult  of  acquirement — and  that 
would  be  your  task." 

"  But  I  have  tried  it,"  cried  Hamilton,  eagerly ;  "  I  have 
made  the  trial  this  last  year.  I  see  that  riches  are  not 
necessary  to  my  happiness — I  am  convinced,  that  with 
Hildegarde  and  a  cottage " 

"  So  you  would  live  in  the  country  ?" 

"  Of  course." 

"  And  in  the  mountains?" 

"  Here,  in  your  neighbourhood,  if  possible." 

"  You  are  bribing  me,"  cried  A.  Z., "  more  than  you  know. 
I  am  in  want  of  such  neighbours,  and  although  it  is  getting 
cool,"  she  added,  drawing  her  shawl  around  her,  "  still,  as  it 
is  not  yet  dark,  we  may  as  well  return  to  the  chestnut  tree, 
and  perhaps  walk  to  the  beech-wood,  which  you  saw  from  it." 

On  ascending  a  slight  acclivity,  a  more  extensive  view  of 
the  Chiem  Lake  became  visible,  and  a  peasant's  house,  with 
its  overhanging  roof  and  long  balcony,  stood  before  them — 
it  was  built  almost  in  the  mountain,  at  least  it  appeared  so 
at  a  little  distance ;  a  noisy  stream  rushed  out  of  the  rocks 
beside  it,  and  formed  a  series  of  cascades,  while  endeavour- 
ing to  reach  the  green  fields,  and  dark  wood  beneath.  Under 
the  numerous  fruit  trees  which  surrounded  the  house,  with 
their  overloaded  branches  bending  to  the  ground,  were 
several  wooden  benches ;  on  one  of  these  A.  Z.  seated  her- 
self, while  Hamilton,  attracted  by  the  light  from  some  win 
dows  on  the  ground-floor,  seemed  disposed  to  inspect  the 
premises  more  closely.  A  loud  chorus  of  voices  made  him 
hesitate. 

rt  They  are  at  their  evening  prayers,"  observed  A.  Z.,  "  it 
is  better  not  to  disturb  them.  Come  here,  and  listen  to  me. 
You  have  not  often  seen  a  house  more  beautifully  situated 
than  this,  most  probably  !" 


HOHENFELS.  449 

"  Never." 

"  The  mountain  peasants  know  how  to  choose  a  site  !  You 
have  no  idea  how  highly  they  value  a  view  of  this  kind,  or 
how  they  feel  the  beauty  of  their  scenery ;  their  eyes  and 
minds  are  from  infancy  accustomed  to  grand  and  striking 
forms — the  want  of  them  causes  the  ennui  and  listlessness 
called  Maladle  du  pays,  Nostcdgie  or  Hedmweh,  from  which 
all  mountaineers  suffer,  more  or  less,  when  in  a  town  or  dis- 
tant from  their  mountains.  I  can  understand  it,  as  I  have 
actually  felt  this  maladle,  for  which,  by  the  by,  we  have  no 
English  name,  when  I  was  obliged  to  remain  in  Munich  for 
some  time,  about  two  years  ago.  The  peasant  to  whom  that 
house  and  all  those  fruitful  fields  below  us  belong,  is  about 
deliberately  to  die  of  this  most  lingering  and  melancholy 
disease  ;  he  intends  to  emigrate  to  America  !" 

"  Oh,  what  a  fool !"  cried  Hamilton. 

"  I  have  said  as  much  to  him,  but  in  rather  more  civil 
terms,"  answered  A.  Z. ;  "  but  all  to  no  purpose ;  perhaps, 
when  you  know  his  motives,  you  may  think  differently, 
though  I  cannot.  The  extreme  cheapness  of  education  in 
Bavaria  is  a  great  temptation  to  the  peasants,  when  their 
sons  distinguish  themselves  at  the  German  schools,  to  let 
them  continue  their  education,  learn  Latin,  and  afterwards 
study  at  the  University.  It  is  a  common  thing  for  them  to 
rise  to  eminence  in  the  learned  professions,  and  the  eldest 
son  of  my  friend  Felsenbauer  here  would  most  probably  have 
done  so,  had  it  not  chanced  that  when  he  had  nearly  com- 
pleted his  studies,  that  revolutionary  attempt  of  the  students 
took  place  in  the  year  1830,  of  which  you  may,  perhaps, 
have  heard.  Whether  or  not  he  was  implicated,  is  unknown  ; 
but  after  having  concealed  himself  for  some  time,  and  found 
that  all  his  most  intimate  friends  had  been  imprisoned,  he 
wrote  to  his  father  for  money,  and  went  off  to  America. 
He  has  married  an  American,  and  is  so  advantageously 
placed  at  Cincinnati,  that  he  is  most  desirous  to  have  his 
family  near  him,  and  his  letters  are  from  year  to  year  more 
pressing.  The  old  man  is  now  only  waiting  to  find  a  pur- 
chaser for  his  house  and  grounds  !" 

"  I  understand,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing ;  "  you  think 
that  house,  with  a  few  alterations,  might  be  made  as  com- 
fortable as  it  is  pretty.     What  price  does  he  demand  ?" 

11  About  twelve  hundred  pounds ;  but  he  will  not  get  more 
dd  38* 


450  THE  INITIALS. 

than  a  thousand  for  it ;  and  is  therefore  likely  to  have  to 
wait  for  a  year  or  two  before  he  finds  a  purchaser  ;  so  you 
have  plenty  of  time  either  to  buy  it.  or  change  your  mind, 
which  I  suspect  you  will  do  after  your  return  home.  At  all 
events  I  recommend  your  inspecting  it  some  day  with  Herr- 
mann, who  understands  such  things  perfectly — it  will  not  be 
uninteresting  to  you  to  know  the  financial  position  of  a  peas- 
ant of  this  kind,  and  if  he  have  the  smallest  hopes  of  your 
ever  being  a  purchaser,  he  will  unreservedly  show  you  all 
his  accounts." 

While  they  were  speaking,  the  peasant  and  his  wife,  fol- 
lowed by  their  second  son  and  daughter,  came  out  of  the 
house,  and  a  long  conversation  ensued.  It  was  so  dark 
when  A.  Z.  proposed  leaving,  that  the  old  man  insisted  on 
accompanying  her  home  with  a  lantern. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE   SCHEIBEN-SCHIESSEN    (TARGET    SHOOTING   MATCH). 

Baron  Z returned  the  next  day,  was  delighted  to  see 

Hamilton,  and  went  about  with  him  everywhere,  showing 
and  explaining  whatever  he  thought  likely  to  interest  him. 
One  of  their  excursions  was  to  the  marriage  of  a  wood- 
ranger  with  the  daughter  of  an  innkeeper,  who  lived  deep 
in  the  mountains.  There  was  to  be  a  dance  and  target 
shooting  match  as  wedding  festivities  ;  and  it  was  with  no 
small  satisfaction  that  Hamilton,  at  an  unmentionably  early 

hour  in  the  morning,  followed  Baron  Z to  his  room  to 

choose  one  of  his  rifles  for  the  latter.  Hamilton  did  not,  as 
on  a  former  occasion,  listen  with  indifference  while  he  des- 
canted on  their  merits,  but  examined  them  carefully,  poised 
them  in  his  hand,  and  pointed  them  out  of  the  windows  at 
the  little  belfry  of  the  house  he  had  visited  with  A.  Z.5  and 
which  he  now  chose  as  a  target. 

"  You  really  look  as  if  you  understood  what  you  were 
about,"  observed  A.  Z.,  who  was  pouring  out  their  coffee. 
"  If  you  have  gained  nothing  else  by  your  residence  in  Ba- 


THE  SCHETBEN-SCHIESSEN.  451 

varia,  you  have  at  least  learned  to  get  up  in  the  morning, 
and  to  use  a  rifle !". 

"  Both  decidedly  German  accomplishments,"  replied  Ham- 
ilton, laughing,  "  and  learned,  in  both  cases,  from  ladies. 
Madame  Rosenberg  and  the  Baroness  Waldorf  have  been 
my  instructresses,  as  you  will  find  when  you  look  over  my 
journal." 

"  Which  I  intend  to  do  to-day,  when  I  am  alone  and 
quiet,"  said  A.  Z.,  "  and  then  we  can  talk  about  it  whenever 
you  are  disposed." 

"  Time   to  be  off!"    cried   Baron  Z ;  and  Hamilton 

found  himself,  soon  after,  driving  through  the  wildest  passes 
of  the  mountain  at  an  hour  which  he  had  formerly  con- 
sidered ought  to  be  devoted  to  sleep  in  a  darkened  chamber. 

The  road  was  still  in  shadow,  though  the  sun  shone 
brightly  on  the  rocks  above  them,  and  it  was  only  through 
an  occasional  cleft  in  them,  or  a  widening  of  the  pass 
through  which  the  road  lay,  that  the  warm  rays  occasionally 
tempered  the  bracing  morning  air.  For  the  first  time  since 
Hamilton  had  left  the  Rosenbergs,  he  felt  exhilarated — dis- 
posed to  enjoy  life  as  he  had  formerly  done.  It  must  not  be 
supposed  that  he  was  beginning  to  forget  Hildegarde — quite 
the  contrary — his  mental  struggles  were  over ;  absence,  that 
surest  test  of  affection,  had  proved  to  him  that  without  her 
the  best  years  of  his  life  would  be  clouded ;  so  completely 
had  the  world,  and  all  relating  to  it,  been  changed  to  him 
during  the  last  year,  so  different  were  all  his  ideas  from 
what  they  had  been,  that  his  recollections  of  home  were  be- 
coming ruins,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  his  imagination 
supplied  the  broken  walls  and  crumbling  windowsills  of  his 
former  splendid  visions  of  pomp  and  riches.  His  only  fears 
now  were  of  Hildegarde  herself,  he  half  dreaded  a  repulse ; 
but  he  had  resolved  to  brave  even  that ;  and  since  his  reso- 
lutions had  been  formed,  he  had  again  begun  to  feel  pleasure 

in  everything  surrounding  him.    When  Baron  Z stepped 

out  of  the  little  low  carriage,  which  he  called  a  "  sausage," 
to  gather  bunches  of  the  beautiful  wild  rhododendron,  com- 
monly called  Alpen  rosen,  Hamilton  sprang  joyously  up  the 
side  of  the  mountain  with  him,  and  experienced  a  boyish 
satisfaction  in  scrambling  higher  and  higher  still,  to  obtain 
a  branch  with  deeply-coloured  flowers,  or  a  few  sweetly- 
scented  cyclamens. 


452  THE  INITIALS. 

Their  destination  was  a  village,  which  as  nearly  resembled 
a  nest  as  could  well  be  imagined,  so  completely  was  it  sur- 
rounded by  mountains,  all  wooded  nearly  to  the  summit ; 
there  were  about  thirty  houses  and  two  large  inns.     Baron 

Z 's  brewery  supplied  the  place  with  beer,  and  it  was,  as 

he  informed  Hamilton,  in  the  characters  of  a  brewer  and  his 
friend  that  they  that  day  appeared.  They  were,  however, 
persons  of  considerable  importance,  as  Hamilton  soon  dis- 
covered, for  the  marriage  had  been  delayed  until  their  ar- 
rival, and  the  gay  procession  was  then  first  formed,  with 
which  preceded  by  loud  music,  in  which  a  flageolet  contended 
in  vain  with  a  couple  of  horns  for  predominance,  they 
marched  to  the  church.  Hamilton,  on  perceiving  that  all 
the  men  had  large  bouquets  of  flowers,  and  streaming  rib- 
bons  in  their  hats,  immediately  decorated  his  with  Alpen 

rosen.     As  to  Baron  Z ,  neither  he  nor  any  of  the  other 

numerous  gentlemen  who  came  in  the  course  of  the  day  to 
shoot,  could  be  distinguished  at  a  little  distance  from  the 
peasants.  The  strong  shoes,  worsted  stockings,  black 
breeches,  leather  belts,  with  their  curiously  worked  initials, 
loose  grey  shooting-jackets,  and  slouched  hats  with  black 
cock  feathers,  were  common  to  all.  A  nice  observer  might, 
perhaps,  have  discovered  a  difference  in  the  materials,  but 
even  that  was  generally  avoided.  If  ever  a  German  noble- 
man feels  that  those  who  are  not  in  his  class  are  equal  or 
superior  to  him,  it  is  at  a  Scheiben-Schiessen.  There  the  best 
shot  is  the  best  man.  The  consciousness  of  strength  and 
power,  which  the  free  use  of  arms,  and  the  habit  of  seeking 
pleasure  and  fame  in  their  dexterous  use  beget,  is  not  without 
its  national  importance ;  such  men  can  scarcely  fail  to  make 
good  soldiers,  or  defend  their  mountain  homes  in  time  of 
war. 

Excepting  while  they  dined,  Baron   Z never  ceased 

shooting.  Hamilton,  contented  with  having  acquitted  himself 
creditably,  began  at  the  end  of  a  couple  of  hours  to  wander 
about ;  he  first  looked  into  the  room  where  the  wedding 
banquet  was  being  slowly  served  :  it  had  already  lasted  more 
than  three  hours,  which  is  scarcely  to  be  wondered  at,  as  be- 
tween the  courses,  the  more  youthful  part  of  the  company 
made  their  way  up  the  crowded  staircase  to  a  large  room 
under  the  roof,  where  they  danced ;  the  measured  sound  of 
the  waltz  step  forming  a  sort  of  metronome  to  the  musicians, 


THE  SCHEIBEN-SCHIESSEN.  453 

who,  at  times,  seemed  more  attentive  to  the  movements  of 
those  about  them  than  their  occupation,  thereby  occasionally 
producing  such  extraordinary  and  wild  sounds  that  Hamil- 
ton allowed  himself  to  be  pushed  up  the  stairs  into  their  im- 
mediate vicinity.  Finding  a  quiet  corner,  he  tranquilly 
smoked  his  cigar  and  looked  on,  an  amused  spectator  of  a 
scene  which  formed  for  him  a  picture  of  the  most  interest- 
ing description  from  its  novelty  and  thoroughly  national 
character. 

The  room,  spacious  and  well-floored,  was  immediately 
under  the  roof,  of  which  the  rafters  and,  on  close  inspec- 
tion, the  tiles  were  visible.  The  musicians,  placed  in  a  cor- 
ner and  well  supplied  with  beer,  blew,  whistled,  and  scraped 
with  all  their  might,  the  violoncello,  with  its  eternal  tonic, 
dominant,  and  subdominant,  acting  as  whipper-in  to  the 
other  instruments.  The  trumpet,  occasionally  raised  to  one 
of  the  windows  in  the  roof,  informed  the  absent  of  the  op* 
portunity  they  were  losing,  or  served  as  an  invitation  to  the 
lazy.  Diminutive  beer  barrels,  connected  with  strong  planks, 
formed  seats  along  the  walls,  and  on  them  the  half  breath- 
less dancers,  in  their  picturesque  costumes,  occasionally  sat 
and  rested ;  a  few  elderly  peasants  were  established  round  a 
table  behind  the  door,  and  near  them  stood  a  fine  specimen 
of  a  rustic  exclusive,  with  his  arms  folded,  and  bright  blue 
eyes  audaciously  following  each  dancing  pair  as  they  passed  ; 
he  lounged  against  the  wall,  until  seeing  some  known,  or 
loved,  or  pretty  girl,  he  was  moved  to  touch  her  partner  on 
the  shoulder,  and  however  unwilling  the  latter  might  be,  he 
was  obliged  in  courtesy  to  resign  her  until  she  had  taken 
some  turns  round  the  room  with  the  interloper,  who,  on  re- 
turning her  to  her  partner,  thanked  him,  and  the  flushed  and 
panting  girl  invariably  looked  delighted  at  this  most  ap- 
proved mode  of  publicly  doing  her  homage.  Hamilton  ob- 
served about  half  a  dozen  beauties  who  never  were  allowed 
to  rest  for  one  moment. 

Light  and  shade  were  disposed  as  the  most  fastidious 
painter  could  desire ;  the  rays  of  the  afternoon  sun,  as  they 
entered  by  the  open  windows,  rendered  even  the  tremulous 
motion  of  the  air  and  the  usually  imperceptible  particles  of 
dust  apparent,  while  the  gradually  dispersing  light  made  the 
silver-laced  bodices  of  the  women  glitter,  and  the  beaming 
faces  of  the  men  to  glow  more  deeply.     Here  for  the  first 


454  THE  INITIALS. 

time  Hamilton  saw  the  real  Ldndler  danced,  the  waltz  in  all 
its  nationality — as  unlike  anything  he  had  ever  heard  so 
denominated  as  could  well  be  imagined.  It  was  a  German 
fandango  with  nailed  shoes  instead  of  castanets,  but  there 
was  life,  energy,  and  enjoyment  in  every  movement.  The 
origin  of  the  name  of  waltz  for  this  dance  is  from  walzen, 
to  turn  round,  and  this  the  dancers  did  regularly,  though  not 
quickly  when  together,  but  they  often  separated,  and  then 
the  movements  were  as  uncertain  as  various,  accompanied  on 
the  part  of  the  men  by  the  snapping  of  fingers,  clapping 
their  knees  with  both  hands,  and  springing  in  the  air,  while 
ever  and  anon  they  uttered  a  piercing  peculiar  cry,  something 
between  shouting  and  singing.  During  the  time  the  men 
performed  these  wild  gesticulations,  their  partners  waltzed  on 
demurely  before  them,  and  when  they  joined  each  other 
again  it  was  usually  with  a  few  decided  foot  stampings  that 
they  recommenced  their  rotary  motions. 

It  was  long  before  Hamilton  felt  disposed  to  leave  this 
scene  of  rustic  festivity ;  when  he  did  so,  it  was  but  to  wit- 
ness another  of  a  different  kind,  for  as  the  evening  ap- 
proached, and  the  noise  of  the  rifles  began  by  degrees  to 
cease,  all  the  singers  and  zither  players  in  the  neighbour- 
hood assembled  in  the  garden ;  it  was  in  the  midst  of  them 

that  Hamilton  was  found  by  Baron  Z ,  and  though  he 

soon  after  joined  the  latter  and  his  friends  at  another  table, 
he  still  turned  round  and  endeavoured  to  hear  the  words  or 
hum  the  chorus  of  their  songs. 

"  Our  national  music  seems  to  interest  you,"  observed  an 
elderly  gentleman  in  a  green  shooting  jacket,  drawing  his 
chair  close  to  Hamilton's. 

"  Very  much,  but  I  find  it  rather  difficult  to  understand 
the  words,  though  I  hear  them  very  distinctly." 

"  Of  course  you  do ;  a  foreigner  must  always  find  it  diffi- 
cult to  understand  our  different  dialects,  and  we  have 
many." 

Baron  Z took  a  little  book  of  songs  out  of  his  pocket 

and  handed  it  to  Hamilton,  who,  after  a  few  unsuccessful 
attempts,  at  length  was  able  to  read  and  understand  one  of 
them.  "Are  these  songs  ancient  or  modern?"  he  asked 
after  a  pause. 

"  These,"  answered  Baron  Z ,  "  are  of  an  uncertain 

age,  and  are  common  in  the  Bavarian  highlands;   but  we 


THE  SCHEIBEN-SCHIESSEN.  455 

have  some  national  songs  of  the  same  description  which  are 
extremely  ancient." 

"  We  know,"  observed  the  elderly  gentleman,  "  we  know 
from  the  poems  of  Walter  von  der  Vogelweide  that  even  at 
the  end  of  the  twelfth  century  the  peasants  had  their  own 
songs,  which,  to  the  great  annoyance  of  the  celebrated  poet, 
were  gladly  heard  and  highly  valued  by  the  princes  and 
knights  of  his  time.  The  highest  nobles  then  danced  to 
their  own  songs,  as  you  may  sometimes  see  the  Austrian 
peasants  do  to  this  day.  The  rhymes  of  the  Niehelimgen- 
lied1  and  other  old  German  epic  poems  are  precisely  of  the 
same  description  as  these  songs,  which  is  also  a  proof  of  their 
antiquity." 

"  And  is  the  music  as  old  as  the  poetry  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  I  believe  so,"  replied  Baron  Z ;  "  it  was  intended 

for  dancing  as  well  as  singing,  as  the  universal  name  of 
Schnadder-hupfen  denotes  ;  the  word  schnadder  means  to  talk 
or  chat,  and  hiipfen  to  jump  or  dance  about." 

"  And  is  all  your  old  national  music  of  this  gay  Schnadder- 
hiipfen  description?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Oh,  no,  we  have  melancholy  and  sentimental  too,  but  our 
mountaineers  are  too  gay  and  happy  a  people  to  allow  the 
mournful  to  predominate,  or  even  to  have  its  due  share  in 
their  music ;  the  sorrowful  thought  of  one  verse  is  sure  to 
find  consolation  in  the  jesting  contradiction  in  the  next. 
The  Alpine  songs  are  generally  of  this  description,  and  the 
girls  who  have  the  charge  of  the  cows  on  the  Alps  sing  them 
together,  and  continue  to  do  so  after  they  have  left  the 
mountains,  which  has  caused  them  to  become  familiar  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  valleys.  Then  there  is  the  jodel,  the  song 
without  words,  which  has  so  much  resemblance  to  the  ranz 
des  vaches  of  the  Swiss,  and  which  requires  both  practice  and 
compass  of  voice." 

"  Oh,  I  remember,"  said  Hamilton,  "  what  you  and  some 
of  the  others  sang  when  we  were  on  the  chamois  hunt  last 
year ;  sometimes  it  sounded  like  water  bubbling,  and  then 
came  some  queer  high  notes  and  a  sort  of  shout — it  was 
quite  adapted  to  the  mountains — quite  beautiful  when  there 
was  an  echo.     I  should  like  to  learn  it." 


1  The  Niebelungenlied  is  a  very  ancient  poem,  greatly  valued  but  littls 
read — like  the  works  of  Chaucer  and  Spenser  in  England. 


456  THE  INITIALS. 

"  You  will  find  it  more  difficult  than  you  imagine,"  said 

Baron  Z ,  "  that  is  if  you  have  ever  learned  to  sing  ;  my 

wife  has  never  been  able  to  manage  it,  and  she  has  often 
tried." 

"  I  shall  learn  to  jodel  and  play  the  zither,  too,"  said  Ham- 
ilton, "  that  is  if  I  ever  come  to  reside  in  Germany." 

"  If"  said  Baron  Z ,  and  then  he  joined  in  the  chorus 

of  the  song  which  was  being  sung  at  the  table  nearest 
them. 

...  <  .  . 

"  How  different  the  same  scene  looks  in  the  gradually 
increasing  light  of  early  morning,  and  the  deepening  shades 

of  approaching    evening !"    observed    Baron    Z ,  as  he 

leaned  back  in  the  carriage  on  their  way  home,  and  looked 
along  the  valley  through  which  the  road  lay ;  it  had  become 
so  narrow  that  it  seemed  about  to  close  altogether,  while  a 
towering  mountain,  facing  them  as  they  advanced,  appeared 
to  prevent  all  further  progress ;  "and  yet  I  scarcely  know 
which  is  to  be  preferred  in  a  country  of  this  description." 

"  The  evening,  certainly  the  evening,"  said  Hamilton, 
looking  round  ;  "  but  a  little  earlier ;  the  sun  should  still  be 
on  those  rocks  above  us  and  make  them  successively  yellow, 
red,  copper-coloured,  and  violet,  as  I  have  seen  them  every 
evening  from  the  garden  of  Hohenfels." 

"  I  wish,"  said  Baron  Z ,  "  I  wish  that  we  could  see 

them  from  the  top  of  our  alp  to-night ;  we  cannot  expect 
this  unclouded  weather  to  last  much  longer." 

"  Have  you  an  alp  of  your  own  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  No  ;  but  I  have  rented  one  for  the  last  two  years,  and 
find  it  answers  very  well,  the  greater  part  of  my  cattle  are 
there  now.  It  was  not,  however,  of  my  cows  and  calves  that 
I  was  thinking,  but  of  the  chamois  on  the  mountain  near  the 

alp,  of  which  the  Forster  from  G told  me  this  morning. 

Now,  as  you  acquitted  yourself  so  well  to-day  at  the  Sclicibcn- 
Sc/iiessen,  I  do  not  see  why  you  should  not  become  a  sports- 
man at  once." 

"  Do  you  think  I  should  have  any  chance?" 

"  Why  not?  You  must  make  a  beginning  some  time  or 
other." 

"  I  suppose  game  is  very  plentiful  here  ?"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Not  what  you  call  plenty,  at  least  we  have  not  grouse  or 
black  cocks  as  my  wife  tells  me  you  have  in  Scotland." 


THE  SCHEIBENSCHIESSEN.  457 

"  But  I  have  heard  of  splendid  battues  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Munich." 

"  I  dare  say,  in  the  royal  chase,  where  eight  or  nine  hun- 
dred hares,  and  other  game  in  proportion,  have  been  shot  in 
one  afternoon — but  that  is  not  my  idea  of  sport.  I  prefer  a 
chamois  hunt  to  all  others,  next  to  that,  black  cock ;  and  I 
am  quite  satisfied  if  I  shoot  three  or  four  during  the  season." 

"  Are  the  black  cock  so  difficult  to  get  at  ?" 

"  More  troublesome  than  difficult,  though  I  have  occa- 
sionally found  them  almost  as  high  on  the  mountains  as  the 
chamois !  It  is  the  waiting  and  watching — the  being  up 
before  sunrise,  that  gives  me  an  interest,  though  it  generally 
disgusts  others  whose  actual  profession  it  does  not  happen 
to  be." 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Hamilton,  "  it  is  the  actual  profession 
of  those  Forsters  f  There  was  one  near  the  Iron  Works,  and 
he  always  supplied  Madame  Rosenberg  with  game  ; — she  paid 
him  for  it,  however." 

"  Of  course   she   did,"  replied    Baron   Z ,  laughing ; 

"  and  if  you  shoot  a  chamois  you  must  pay  for  it  too,  that 
is,  if  you  wish  to  keep  it.  I  have  myself  no  game  whatever, 
but  as  the  Forster  rents  the  whole  chase  in  my  neighbour- 
hood from  government,  I  have  as  much  sport  as  I  please, 
and  in  fact  as  much  game  too ;  I  pay  for  whatever  I  retain, 
and  so  do  all  the  others  to  whom  he  has  given  the  permission 
to  shoot ;  but  I  suspect  his  profits  are  not  great,  for  we  have 
a  number  of  Wildschutzen,  wild  hunters — poachers  you  call 
them,  I  believe,  in  England." 

"  Yes,  one  hears  of  them  continually  in  the  country ;  I 
begin  to  have  a  faint  idea  that  they  may  be  great  nuisances." 

"  I  have  no  intention  of  exactly  undertaking  their  defence," 

said  Baron  Z ,  "  but  here  in  the  mountains,  where  almost 

every  man  is  a  good  shot,  and  the  ideas  of  some  are  rather 
confused  as  to  the  better  right  which  one  man  may  have 
more  than  another  to  shoot  an  animal  roaming  about  among 
the  rocks — the  crime  is,  to  say  the  least,  venial.  I,  for  my 
part,  would  never  pursue  a  Wildschiitzen  with  the  wish  to 
catch  him ;  but  between  them  and  the  Forsters  there  is  the 
most  implacable  hatred  and  deadly  war.  When  they  meet 
without  witnesses,  it  not  unfrequently  happens  that  they  fire 
at  each  other  !  If  the  Forster  fall,  he  is  immediately  missed  ; 
if  the  Wildscliutz,  it  often  remains  long  undiscovered.  Last 
u  39 


458  THE  INITIALS. 

winter  the  body  of  a  young  man  was  found  on  one  of  the 
mountains  here,  several  weeks  after  his  friends  had  first 
privately,  and  then  publicly,  sought  him.  There  is  little 
doubt  that  he  was  shot  by  one  of  our  wood-rangers,  and  the 
man  was  immediately  arrested,  but  no  sort  of  proof  could 
be  obtained  ;  the  day  of  the  young  man's  death  was  unknown, 
the  wood-ranger  had  been  on  that  mountain,  but  also  on 
others  about  the  supposed  time — shots  had  been  heard  by 
some  wood-cutters,  but  not  more  than  could  be  accounted  for 
by  the  game  brought  home ;  in  short,  he  was  set  at  liberty ; 
but  the  fate  of  the  Wildschiitz,  who  was  a  handsome,  good- 
humoured  fellow,  created  much  interest  and  pity  ;  so  you  see 
there  is  so  much  danger,  and  so  little  profit,  so  much  romance, 
and  so  little  vulgarity  about  them  altogether,  that  they  are 
not  unfrequently  the  subject  of  a  song  or  the  hero  of  a 
legend.  I  am  not  even  quite  sure  that  the  suspicion  of  a 
young  man  being  at  times  a  wild  hunter  would  injure  him 
in  the  opinion  of  any  girl  born  and  bred  among  the  moun- 
tains !" 

"  I  dare  say  not,"  said  Hamilton  ;  "  women  higher  born, 
and  better  bred,  have  not  unfrequently  similar  feelings,  and 
the  very  word  is  in  itself  the  essence  of  romance  !  You 
must  allow  that  it  sounds  a  vast  deal  better  than  Forster,  or 
Forstmeister,  or  Forstcommissioner,  or  Fbrstinspector.  Every- 
body seems  to  be  Forst  something  in  this  part  of  the  world." 

"  And   are  we  not  surrounded  by  forests  ?     Are  not  all 

our  mountains  covered  with  wood?"    asked  Baron  Z , 

laughing ;  "  can  you  wonder  that,  in  a  country  where  wood 
is  used  as  fuel,  the  care  and  culture  of  it  should  be  of  the 
greatest  importance?" 

"Then  these  Forsters  are  not  a — exactly  game-keepers?" 

"No;  the  preserving  of  the  game  is,  however,  always  in 
connection  with  the  woods  and  forests.  The  Forstmeister, 
Forstactuar,  Forsters,  and  Forstpracticanta  are  appointed  by 
government ;  the  under  Forster,  or  wood-ranger,  is  the  only 
thing  at  all  answering  to  your  idea  of  game-keeper." 

"  And  what  have  they  all  to  do?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  Can  you  not  imagine  the  care  of  all  these  woods  giving 

a  number  of  people    employment?"    asked    Baron   Z , 

looking  round  him.  "  The  never-ending  felling  and  drifting, 
and  selling  and  planting ;  the  corrections  of  the  rivers  used 
for  drifting ;  the   care  of  the  game,  and  a  hundred  other 


A  DISCOURSE.  459 

things,  which  I  do  not  just  now  remember.  The  Forstwesen,  as 
we  call  it  here,  requires  as  much,  and  as  peculiar  study  at 
the  University,  as  theology,  philosophy,  law,  physic,  or  any 
other  branch  of  learning.  Had  I  been  given  my  choice,  I 
should  have  preferred  it  to  all  others." 

"  And  what  did  you  study  ?     I  mean  especially  ?" 

"  Law,"  answered  Baron  Z ,  and  while  he  spoke  the 

carriage  rolled  into  the  paved  court  of  Hohenfels. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

A   DISCOURSE. 


There  had  been  a  thunder-storm  during  the  night,  and 
the  rain  descended  the  next  morning  in  torrents.  "  I  fear, 
Hamilton,  our  party  must  be  put  off  for  a  short  time !" 

observed  Baron  Z ,  as  he  walked  from  one  window  to 

the  other,  in  a  disconsolate  manner,  after  breakfast.  "  How 
I  detest  a  hopeless  day  of  this  kind  !" 

"I  remember,"  said  A.  Z.,  "that  when  I  was  an  accom- 
plished young  lady,  I  rather  liked  a  day  of  rain  when  I  had 
a  drawing  to  finish,  or  a  new  song  to  study — I  do  not  dislike 
it  to-day  either,  but  for  a  very  different  reason.  Had  it  been 
fine,  I  must  have  gone  to  the  alp,  to  do  the  honours  of  my 
dairy  to  Mr.  Hamilton,  and  now,  without  any  incivility  on 
my  part,  I  can  stay  at  home  and  quietly  inspect  the  making 
of  a  hundred-weight  of  soap,  which  cannot  be  any  longer 
delayed,  and  I  expect,"  she  added,  turning  to  Hamilton,  "  or 
rather  I  hope,  on  your  way  from  the  brewery,  where  of 
course  you  will  go  to  smoke  with  Hermann,  you  will  visit 
me — in  the  wash-house." 

"  And  can  you  really  make  soap  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  rather 
surprised. 

"  I  really  can,  and  really  do,  as  you  shall  see — but,  per- 
haps, you  don't  care  about  soap-boiling  ?" 

"  I — rather  hoped — that,  perhaps,  to-day  you  would  have 
had  time  to  talk  to  me  about " 

"  Oh  !  I  always  find  time  to  talk,"  sa?d  A.  Z.,  "  my  soap 
will  be  ready  before  dinner ;  it  was  begun  yesterday  even- 


460  THE  INITIALS. 

ing,  and  has  been  boiling  all  the  morning,  so  you  see  after 
our  coffee  we  shall  have  the  whole  afternoon,  and  no  chance 
of  visitors !" 

Just  as  all  the  bells  in  the  neighbourhood  were  chiming 
noon,  Hamilton  walked  into  the  wash-house,  and  there  found 
A.  Z.  standing  beside  an  immense  boiler,  filled  with  a  sub- 
stance very  much  resembling  porridge ;  she  was  examining 
some  of  it,  as  it  trickled  down  a  piece  of  flat  wood,  which 
she  held  in  her  hand,  and  having  dipped  her  finger  into  it, 
and  found  that  it  formed  what  she  called  a  thimble,  she  ap- 
peared satisfied.  Some  few  directions  she  gave  to  a  little 
old  woman,  who  seemed  very  learned  on  the  subject  of  soap- 
boiling,  and  then  she  wound  her  way  through  the  surround- 
ing tubs  and  buckets  and  pails  to  Hamilton,  and  with  him 
went  unceremoniously  to  dinner. 

When  Hamilton,  a  couple  of  hours  afterwards,  joined 
A.  Z.  in  the  drawing-room,  he  found  her  turning  over  the 
last  leaves  of  his  journal,  as  she  sat  in  a  large  arm-chair,  be- 
side the  slightly  heated  stove.  She  turned  round  imme- 
diately and  observed :  "  Well,  Mr.  Hamilton,  you  '  rather 
hoped  I  should  find  time  to  talk.'  I  have  time  now,  and 
only  wait  to  hear  what  is  to  be  the  subject  of  conversation." 

He  drew  a  chair  close  to  her,  and  said,  "  First  of  all — 
your  opinion  of  Hildegarde.     Does  she  care  for  me  ?" 

"  I  am  afraid  she  does,"  answered  A.  Z. 

"  How  can  you  say,  '  afraid,'  when  you  know  it  is  what  I 
most  wish — my  only  chance  of  happiness  !  I  fear  nothing 
but  a  refusal  now.  Have  you  not  observed  that  she  has  never 
said  a  word  which  could  make  me  for  a  moment  imagine  she 
cared  in  the  least  for  me  ?" 

"  Judge  her  actions,  and  not  her  words,"  answered  A.  Z. 

"  And  if  her  actions  should  denote  more  friendship  than 
love  ?" 

"  The  friendship  of  a  girl  of  eighteen  for  a  man  of  one- 
or  two-and-twenty  is  very  apt  to  degenerate  into  love." 

"  And  you  call  that  degenerating  ?" 

A.  Z.  nodded  her  head,  and  said,  "  We  have  no  time  to 
discuss  that  matter  now,  nor  is  it  necessary ;  but  there  is 
something  I  should  like  to  say  to  you,  if  you  will  allow 
me." 

"  1  allow  you — wish  you  to  say  anything,  everything  you 
please." 


A  DISCOURSE.  461 

"  Before  I  read  your  journal,"  she  continued,  turning 
quite  round  to  him,  "  I  was  disposed  only  to  think  of  you, 
and  your  interests,  and  recommended  you  to  return  home, 
without  again  seeing  Mademoiselle  Rosenberg,  or  entering 
into  any  engagement  with  her.  I  give  you  the  same  advice 
now — but — for  her  sake — on  her  account !" 

"  And  this  you  say,  supposing  her  attached  to  me,  and 
knowing  that  I  am  willing  to  sacrifice  everything  I  most 
value  for  her !"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Yes,  I  consider  the  whole  affair  as  the  purest  specimen 
of  first  love  that  it  is  possible  to  imagine ;  so  sincere  on  both 
sides,  that,  were  there  no  impediments  to  your  marriage,  I 
think  you  might  pass  your  lives  very  happily  together ;  but 
the  sacrifices  you  are  about  to  make  she  will  not,  I  fear,  be 
able  properly  to  estimate,  and  you  must  be  very  different 
from  most  young  men  of  your  age  and  position  in  the  world, 
if  you  have  steadiness  enough,  after  two  whole  years'  ab- 
sence, to  return  here,  change  all  your  habits,  and  bury  your- 
self in  these  mountains  for  the  rest  of  your  life !" 

"  I  think — I  am  almost  sure,  that  for  Hildegarde  I  can  do 
so." 

"  If  you  do,  I  shall  have  a  colossal  respect  for  your  char- 
acter ;  but  in  the  meantime  forgive  my  doubting  it.  Your 
uncle  will  send  you  to  Paris,  give  you  unlimited  command  of 
money,  the  temptations  are  great  there,  and  with  your 
brother  John,  and  your  cousin  Harry  as  companions,  I  fear 
that  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  you  will  write  Mademoiselle 
Rosenberg  a  letter  to  say,  '  that  finding  it  impossible  to  ob- 
tain the  consent  of  your  family  to  your  union,  you  will  not 
drag  the  woman  you  love  into  'poverty  V  I  believe  this  is  the 
usual  phrase  used  on  such  occasions  ?  And  you  can  do  this, 
without  even  incurring  the  censure  of  the  world,  for  who 
knows  anything  of  Hildegarde  ?  No  one  will  ever  hear 
that,  for  your  sake,  she  has  refused  Max  Zedwitz,  and  that 
she  will  again  do  so,  if  engaged  to  you,  is  a  matter  of  course  ; 
and  no  one  will  know  that  your  desertion  will  condemn  her 
either  to  being  a  governess  or  to  a  nunnery  for  the  rest  of 
her  life,  for  she  will  never  marry  a  Major  Stultz,  or  a  Fors- 
ter  Weidmann  !"  A.  Z.  paused,  but  as  Hamilton  did  not 
speak,  she  continued,  "  I  see  my  doubts  rather  offend  you, 
but  such  conduct  is,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  common,  and  I  know 
you  too  little  to  estimate  your  character  as  it,  perhaps,  de- 

39* 


462  THE  INITIALS. 

serves.  And  now  let  us  consider  the  other  side  of  the  ques- 
tion— I  mean  Hildegarde's — she  has  never,  you  say,  betrayed 
herself  to  you,  still  less,  I  am  sure  to  anyone  else.  To  most 
women,  the  feeling  of  wounded  pride,  the  sense  of  shame  at 
being  publicly  slighted  and  forsaken,  is  quite  as  painful  to 
bear  as  the  real  loss  of  the  love  on  which  all  their  visions  of 
future  happiness  are  built — all  this  may  still  be  spared  Hil- 
degarde.  You  have  left  her  without  explanation,  she  thinks 
highly  of  you,  for  she  does  not  know  that  you  could  have 
acted  otherwise  than  as  you  have  done — none  of  her  family 
have  the  least  idea  that  she  cares  for  you,  she  even  flatters 
herself  that  you  are  not  aware  of  it — she  will  long  remem- 
ber you  after  you  have  ceased  to  think  of  her,  but  the  re- 
membrance will  be  unmixed  with  pain.  When  Maximilian 
again  meets  her,  she  will  tell  him  that  she  never  can  return 
his  affection,  that  she  never  can  feel  anything  but  friendship 
for  him — but  she  will  marry  him,  make  an  excellent  wife, 
too — and  may,  some  fine  day,  in  this  room,  beside  this  very 
stove,  quietly  talk  of  you,  and  wonder  that  she  could  ever 
have  preferred  anyone  to  her  excellent  husband,  whom  we 
may  suppose  sitting  just  where  you  are  now  !" 

"  Really  a  most  agreeable  picture  !"  cried  Hamilton,  with 
ill-concealed  irritation  of  manner.  "  And  pray  what  is  to 
become  of  me  ?" 

"  I  have  already  said  you  will  forget  more  quickly  than 
she  can  ;  and  so,  after  enjoying  the  world  and  its  pomps  and 
vanities  for  a  few  years,  you  will  marry  a  Lady  Jane  or  Lady 
Mary  Somebody,  who  will  be  quite  as  amiable — if  not  as 
beautiful  as  Hildegarde  ?" 

"  You  are  considering  this  affair  much  too  lightly,"  cried 
Hamilton,  starting  from  his  chair  almost  angrily.  "  You 
talk  as  if  it  was  a  mere  flirtation !" 

"No:  I  have  ceased  to  consider  it  as  such,"  rejoined  A. 
Z.  gravely.  "  I  wish  to  save  you  from  self-reproach,  and 
Hildegarde  from  real  unhappiness  hereafter.  The  bitter- 
ness of  parting  is  now  over  on  both  sides.  With  the  best 
intentions  in  the  world,  circumstances  might  induce  you  to 
write  the  letter  I  spoke  of — Hildegarde's  feelings  now  are 
very  different  from  what  they  will  be  when  she  has  accus- 
tomed herself  to  think  of  you  as  her  companion  for  life.  I 
would  willingly  save  her  youth  from  a  blight  which,  however 
her  pride  and  strength  of  mind  may  enable  her  to  conceal  it, 


A  DISCOURSE.  463 

will  prevent  the  development  of  all  her  good  qualities,  and 
perhaps  turn  her  generous  confidence  into  suspicious  distrust, 
her  warmth  of  heart  into  callousness  forever — but  I  have 
now  said  enough — too  much,  perhaps ;"  and  she  walked  to 

the  window  which  she  opened,  to  ask  Baron  Z ,  who  was 

in  the  court-yard,  what  he  thought  of  the  weather. 

"  No  chance  of  a  change,"  he  answered  ;  "  the  barometer 
is  still  falling,  and  it  will  not  clear  up  until  there  is  snow  on 
the  mountain  tops,  most  probably." 

"  That  is  the  only  disagreeable  thing  in  a  mountainous 
country,"  observed  A.  Z.,  turning  to  Hamilton.  "  When  it 
begins  to  rain,  it  never  knows  how  or  when  to  stop.  I  am 
sorry,  on  your  account,  that  the  fine  weather  has  not  lasted 
a  little  longer ;  but  to-morrow  we  shall  have  a  box  of  new 
books,  and  perhaps  you  may  find  something  to  interest  you 
among  them." 

"  I  am  sure,"  said  Hamilton,  "  that  you  will  agree  with 
me  in  thinking  that  I  ought  not  delay  my  return  to  Munich 
even  a  day  longer,  now  that  I  have  quite  decided  on  my 
future  plans.  I  wish,  if  possible,  to  prevent  Hildegarde 
from  going  to  Frankfort,  where  that  Mademoiselle  Hortense 
intended  to  send  her." 

"  I  scarcely  know  what  I  ought  to  say,"  replied  A.  Z. 
"  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  you  will  remain  here  listening 
to  my  long  stories  and  the  rain  pattering  against  the  windows, 
when  you  have  a  good  excuse  for  leaving." 

"  A  reason — not  an  excuse,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Well  then,"  said  A.  Z.,  as  she  closed  the  window, 
"  though  I  do  not  ask  you  to  give  me  a  lock  of  your  hair, 
I  feel  so  much  interested  in  your  affairs,  that  I  hope  you 
will  '  Trust  me,  and  let  me  know  your  love's  success,'  in  a 
few  lines  which  you  may  find  time  to  write  to  me  after  you 
have  reached  home." 


464  THE  INITIALS. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

ANOTHER   KIND   OP   DISCOURSE. 

Twenty-four  hours  afterwards,  Hamilton  was  in  Munich 
on  his  way  to  Major  Stultz's.  He  had  not  yet  taken  leave 
of  Crescenz,  and  hoped,  when  ostensibly  doing  so,  to  obtain 
from  her  some  information  about  her  sister's  plans  and  pros- 
pects. His  old  acquaintance,  Walburg,  was  delighted  to  see 
him,  informed  him  that  "  her  mistress  was  at  home,  quite 
alone — the  Major  had  gone  to  sup  with  some  officers  who 
had  been  in  Russia  with  him  ;"  and  while  speaking,  she 
threw  open  the  drawing-room  door.  Crescenz  turned  round, 
and  then,  with  a  blush  of  pleasure,  rose  quickly  and  advanced 
towards  Hamilton,  exclaiming,  "  I  knew  you  would  not  leave 
Bavaria  without  coming  to  see  me !  I  said  so  to  Blazius, 
and  to  Hildegarde  too  !" 

"  So  you  have  spent  another  day  at  the  Iron  Works,  and 
can  tell  me  how  they  all  are." 

"  No,"  replied  Crescenz ;  and  the  smile  faded  from  her 
features  as  she  added,  "  Hildegarde  was  here,  on  her  way  to 
Frankfort." 

"  So  she  is  gone — actually  gone  !"  cried  Hamilton. 

"  She  left  us  the  day  before  yesterday.  Blazius  says  he 
is  glad  our  parting  is  over,  for  I  could  do  nothing  but  cry 
all  the  time  she  was  here." 

"  And  Hildegarde  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  She  appeared  quite  contented  with  her  future  prospects, 
and  tried  to  make  me  so  too." 

"  Quite  contented,"  repeated  Hamilton. 

"  Yes  ;  Blazius  says  she  has  not  much  feeling,  and  that  I 
am  a  fool  to  waste  so  much  affection  on  her ;  but  he  does 
not  know  how  kind  she  was  to  me  for  so  many  years  at 
school,  helping  me  out  of  all  my  difficulties,  and  taking  my 
part  on  all  occasions — he  has  no  idea  what  Hildegarde  can 
do  to  those  she  loves  !" 

"  Nor  I  either,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  Of  course  not,"  said   Crescenz,  smiling,  "  as  she  only 


ANOTHER  KIND   OF  DISCOURSE.  465 

latterly  began  to  like  you ;  but  for  ten  years  she  was  every- 
thing to  me !  After  we  left  school,  indeed,  or  rather  from 
the  time  we  were  at  Seon,  she  changed  a  good  deal,  certainly. 
You  know  the  time  that " 

11 1  know,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  But  when  she  was  here  last  week,  she  was  just  what  she 
used  to  be ;  I  could  have  fancied  we  had  gone  back  two  or 
three  years  of  our  lives." 

"  So  she  was  quite  cheerful !"  said  Hamilton,  with  a  con- 
strained smile.  "  It  seems  she  felt  no  regret  at  quitting  the 
IronWorks?" 

"Not  much,  I  should  think,  when  you  were  no  longer 
there,"  answered  Crescenz. 

"  What !     What  do  you  mean  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  eagerly. 

"  Why,  as  you  were  the  only  person  who  could  talk  to  her 
— she  must  have  found  it  very  dull  after  you  were  gone,  I 
suppose." 

"Oh!"  said  Hamilton,  "  is  that  all  ?  Perhaps  she  did  not 
say  as  much — did  not  speak  of  me  at  all  ?" 

"  Oh  yes ;  we  often  spoke  of  you,"  said  Crescenz,  nodding 
her  head. 

"  I  flattered  myself,  at  one  time,  that  Hildegarde  liked 
me "  began  Hamilton. 

"  She  does  like  you — she  said  so  repeatedly,  and  quite 
agreed  with  me  in  everything  about  you,  but  she  does  not 
like  you  as  Blazius  thought  she  would  when  you  first  went 
to  the  Iron  Works.  He  said  then  it  was  very  inconsiderate 
of  mamma  to  take  you  there — that  she  ought  to  have  insisted 
on  your  leaving  the  house  when  papa  died  !" 

"  She  did  propose  my  leaving,"  said  Hamilton. 

11  Yes,  I  know — that  was  after  Blazius  had  spoken  to  her 
— and  he  was  so  angry,  when  he  heard  you  were  going  to 
the  country,  after  all !     He  said — he  said " 

"  What  ?"  asked  Hamilton. 

"  That  with  such  opportunities,  he  should  not  be  at  all 
surprised  if  you  and  Hildegarde  went  to — the — devil !  He 
sometimes  does  use  such  very  improper  words !" 

Hamilton  could  not  help  smiling. 

"  You  think  I  am  joking,"  she  continued,  "  but  I  assure 
you,  he  said  such  dreadful  things,  that  I  cannot  repeat  them 
— and  I  was  so  glad,  when  I  went  to  the  Iron  Works,  to 
perceive  that  Hildegarde  did  not  like  you — in  that  way •" 


4G6  THE  INITIALS. 

"  In  what  way  ?"  asked  Hamilton,  irresistibly  impelled  to 
talk  to  her  as  he  had  in  former  times.  She  blushed  so 
deeply,  however,  and  became  so  painfully  confused,  that  he 
added  gravely,  "  You  mean  that  you  saw  she  only  liked  me 
as  an  acquaintance,  or  friend,  and  I  believe  you  are  right." 

"  Yes,  that  is  exactly  what  I  meant,"  said  Crescenz,  appar- 
ently greatly  relieved,  "  for  that  last  day,  when  you  seemed 
to  like  Lina  Berger  more  than  you  had  ever  done  either  of 
us,  she  did  not  in  the  least  mind  it — quite  laughed  at  the  idea  !" 

"  Did  she  ?"  said  Hamilton,  with  a  look  of  annoyance, 
which  Crescenz  alone  could  have  failed  to  observe. 

"  Hildegarde  never  will  tell  me  anything !"  she  continued, 
"  but  I  have  made  a  discovery  all  the  same !" 

"  Have  you  ?"  cried  Hamilton,  with  a  look  of  interest, 
which  her  observations  were  seldom  calculated  to  produce. 
"What  is  it?" 

"  I  have  found  out,  at  last,  who  it  is  that  she  really  loves." 

"  Indeed  !     Are  you  quite  sure  ?" 

"  You  shall  hear  how  I  found  out.  Lina  Berger  came 
here,  not  to  take  leave  of  Hildegarde,  for  you  know  they 
dislike  each  other — but  because  she  wished  to  hear  some- 
thing about  you.  Now,  Hildegarde  answered  all  her  ques- 
tions with  the  greatest  composure,  and  when  Lina  found 
that  she  could  not  embarrass  or  annoy  her  about  you,  she 
suddenly  turned  the  conversation  and  spoke  of  Count  Zed- 
witz.  The  moment  she  pronounced  his  name  Hildegarde's 
whole  countenance  changed,  and  then  Lina  went  on,  and 
told  her  that  the  old  Count  was  dying,  that  Doctor  Berger 
had  been  several  times  to  see  him,  and  said  he  could  not 
live  more  than  a  week  or  ten  days,  and  that,  as  his  son  had 
been  written  for,  and  was  probably  on  his  way  home,  she 
now  seriously  advised  Hildegarde  not  to  leave  Munich,  or  at 
least  Bavaria  until  all  chance  was  over  of  his  renewing  his 
proposal  of  marriage  to  her — that  is,  if  she  had  still  the 
slightest  hope  that  such  an  unheard  of  good  fortune  was  in 
store  for  her — above  all  things  she  ought  to  avoid  going  to 
Frankfort,  as,  notwithstanding  all  Count  Zedwitz's  professions 
of  liberality,  the  idea  of  her  having  been  a  governess  might 
be  revolting  to  him  I" 

"  Poor,  dear  Hildegarde  !"  cried  Hamilton,  compassion- 
ately.    "  Was  she  very  angry  ?" 

"  She  became  so  pale  and  agitated  that  I  expected  some 


ANOTHER  KIND  OF  DISCOURSE.  467 

terrible  scene,  such  as  we  used  to  have  at  school ;  but  to  my 
great  surprise,  she  thanked  Lina  for  her  good  advice,  though 
she  did  not  mean  to  follow  it ;  said  she  considered  being  a 
governess  no  sort  of  disgrace — rather  the  contrary,  as  it  led 
to  the  supposition  at  least,  that  her  acquirements  were  more 
than  common,  and  that  what  Count  Zedwitz  might  think  on 
the  subject  was  at  present  a  matter  of  indifference  to  her — 
and  then  she  went  out  of  the  room,  and  did  not  return  until 
Lina  was  gone." 

"  But,  surely,  you  do  not  infer  from  this  that  she  loves 
Zedwitz  I"  cried  Hamilton,  cheerfully.  "  It  seems  to  me  as 
if  the  contrary  conclusion  might  be  drawn." 

"  You  have  not  heard  all,"  said  Crescenz.  "  After  Lina 
was  gone,  though  I  knew  she  had  only  been  trying  to  vex 
Hildegarde,  I  thought  the  advice  might  be  good,  as  Blazius 
had  said  several  times  that  it  would  be  such  an  excellent 
thing  if  that  cross  old  Count  would  die  at  once,  and  leave 
his  son  at  liberty  to  marry  Hildegarde.  It  is  very  wrong  to 
wish  anybody  to  die,  but  Blazius  does  not  mind  saying  things 
of  that  kind — I  don't  think  he  means  all  he  says  though, 
about  the  devil,  or  people  being  damned — it  would  be  very 
terrible  if  he  did — and  I  am  sure  he  learned  all  those  odious 
expressions  in  that  frightful  Russian  campaign " 

"  Well,  a — and  so — "  said  Hamilton,  "  when  Hildegarde 
again  came  into  the  room,  you  probably  recommended  her 
remaining  here?" 

"  Yes — but  you  know,  I  never  could  expect  Hildegarde  to 
follow  my  advice  !  and  when  she  refused,  I  only  just  ven- 
tured, in  a  whisper,  to  ask  her  if  she  thought  that  Count 
Zedwitz  still  loved  her — and  she  said,  '  Yes,  better  than  any 
one  ever  loved,  or  will  love  me — better  than  I  deserve,'  and 
then  she  went  to  the  window  and  pretended  to  look  out,  but 
I  saw  that  she  was  crying.  I  am  quite  sure  she  has  made 
up  her  mind  to  marry  him,  but  I  don't  understand  why  she 
is  so  unhappy  about  it,  especially  as  he  is  a  count,  and  Hil- 
degarde is  so  fond  of  rank  !" 

"  Is  she  ?"  said  Hamilton,  absently. 

"  Oh  yes,  rank,  riches,  station,  and  somebody  to  love  her 
exclusively — and  Count  Zedwitz  can  give  her  all  these 
things,  you  know !" 

"  Very  true — your  arguments  are  conclusive,"  said  Hamil- 
ton, "  and  now  it  is  time  for  me  to  go " 


468  THE  INITIALS. 

"  But  you  will  come  again !"  said  Crescenz ;  "  you  will 
come  to  take  leave  of  Blazius?" 

Hamilton  shook  his  head. 

"Are  you  really  going  away  forever?"  asked  Crescenz, 
and  her  eyes  filled  with  tears  as  she  added,  in  a  slightly 
tremulous  voice,  "  Hildegarde  said  we  should  never  hear  of, 
never  see  you  again  !" 

"  And  she  said  it,  I  am  sure,  with  less  regret  than  you  do  !" 
exclaimed  Hamilton,  bitterly. 

"  I  dare  say  you  think  me  very  foolish,"  said  Crescenz, 
trying  to  smile,  while  large  tears  coursed  each  other  down 
her  cheeks. 

"  I  think  you  very  kind,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  If  Blazius  were  at  home,  you  would  have  stayed  a  little 
longer,  perhaps.     I  wish  Blazius  were  here." 

Hamilton  thought  it  was  quite  as  well  he  was  not,  but  did 
not  say  so ;  and  after  taking  leave  of  her,  much  more  affec- 
tionately than  he  had  dared  to  do  of  her  sister,  he  left  the 
house  considerably  more  thoughtful  than  he  had  entered  it. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

THE  JOURNEY   HOME   COMMENCES. 

Hamilton  left  Munich  the  next  day  in  the  mail  for 
Frankfort ;  he  had  secured  the  place  beside  the  conductor  in 
the  front  part  of  the  coach,  which  formed  a  kind  of  open 
carriage,  and  where  he  intended  to  smoke,  and  think,  and 
sleep  undisturbed.  His  late  conversation  with  Crescenz  had 
made  a  deep  impression  on  him ;  it  had  again  filled  his  mind 
with  doubts  and  fears,  which  deprived  him  of  his  habitual 
cheerfulness,  while  his  usual  source  of  amusement  when 
travelling — studying  the  characters  or  foibles  of  his  com- 
panions— had  lost  all  interest  for  him.  He  did  not  ask  the 
name  or  condition  of  any  one  of  the  persons  with  whom  he 
moved  undar  the  same  roof  a  whole  night  and  two  days,  and 
no  one  contradicted  the  young  student,  who,  on  leaving  at 
Wurtzburg,  observed  with  a  glance  towards  Hamilton,  ';  As 


THE  JOURNEY  HOME  COMMENCES.  469 

unsociable  a  fellow  as  ever  I  met !     A  thorough  English- 
man !" 

He  wandered  about  the  streets  until  the  coach  was  again 
ready  to  start,  and  then,  although  the  weather  had  com- 
pletely cleared  up,  and  the  country,  refreshed  by  the  rain, 
was  by  no  means  uninteresting,  he  sunk  back  into  his  corner, 
and  overpowered  by  weariness,  fell  fast  asleep.  When  he 
awoke  it  was  quite  dark,  and  as  he  raised  himself  slowly 
from  his  slumbers,  the  conductor  called  out,  "  Halt ! — who  is 
booked  for  Aschaffenburg  ?     Who  gets  out  here  ?" 

Some  passenger  from  the  inside  of  the  coach  spoke,  and 
Hamilton  asked,  "  Is  there  a  good  hotel  here?" 

"  Very  good." 

"  Then  let  me  out — my  legs  are  cramped,  and  my  head 
and  shoulders  battered  and  bruised.  I  say,  Hans,  you  can 
go  on  to  Frankfort,  and  bespeak  rooms  for  me  at  the  Hotel 
d'Angleterre.  Give  me  my  carpet-bag  and  dressing-case,  as 
fast  as  you  can,"  and  Hamilton  was  stamping  his  feet  on  the 
ground  with  a  feeling  of  relief  amounting  to  pleasure,  when  a 
man  with  a  lantern  came  up  to  him  and  demanded  his  passport. 

"  My  passport  ? — directly — I  shall  be  in  Frankfort  about 
twelve  o'clock  to-morrow,  Hans,"  cried  Hamilton,  as  the 
coach  drove  off;  and  having  delivered  up  his  passport,  he 
watched  the  man  with  the  lantern  enter  an  adjacent  house, 
saw  the  light  pass  from  one  window  to  the  other,  until  it 
finally  disappeared,  and  all  was  dark. 

"  This  is  pleasant,"  he  said,  looking  around  him,  "  and  I 
don't  know  the  way  to  the  hotel,  or  even  the  name  of  it !" 

"  I  am  here  sir,  with  a  wheelbarrow  for  the  luggage,"  said 
a  voice  near  him,  and  Hamilton's  eyes  now  becoming  accus- 
tomed to  the  darkness,  he  perceived  a  man  standing  close  to 
him,  and  a  dark  figure  at  a  little  distance  sitting  among 
some  trunks  and  boxes. 

"  Can  you  show  me  the  way  to  the  best  hotel  ?"  asked 
Hamilton. 

"  To  be  sure  I  can — for  what  else  am  I  here  every  night, 
wet  or  dry!"  answered  the  man,  good-humoredly,  as  he 
placed  Hamilton's  luggage  in  the  wheelbarrow.  "  If  you 
have  no  objection,  sir,  I  '11  take  the  lady's  things  too." 

"  By  all  means,"  said  Hamilton,  looking  towards  the  dark 
figure,  which  now  rose  and  endeavoured  to  assist  the  man  to 
move  a  rather  large  trunk. 

40 


470  THE  INITIALS. 

"  Allow  me,"  said  Hamilton,  instantly  taking  her  place ; 
and  everything  was  soon  arranged. 

"  Thank  you  a  thousand  times,"  whispered  the  lady,  placing 
her  arm  within  his  almost  familiarly ;  and  Hamilton,  half 
surprised,  half  amused,  looked  somewhat  curiously  at  his 
companion  as  she  afterwards  unreservedly  drew  closer  to  him, 
and  at  last  clasped  her  small  well-gloved  hands  over  his  arm. 
They  followed  for  some  minutes  in  silence  the  man  with  the 
wheelbarrow,  who  trudged  on  before  them  whistling ;  but  as 
they  drew  near  to  one  of  the  miserable  street  lamps  Hamilton 
leant  forward  and  endeavoured  rather  unceremoniously  to 
peer  under  his  companion's  bonnet;  a  thick  veil  rendered 
the  effort  fruitless. 

"  You  wish  to  see  my  face,"  she  said,  in  a  voice  that  made 
him  stop  suddenly,  with  an  exclamation  of  astonishment ; 
and  when  she  pushed  aside  her  veil  the  nickering  light 
played  dimly  over  the  well-known  features  of  Hildegarde. 

And  where  were  Hamilton's  doubts  and  fears  at  that 
moment? — removed? — dispersed?  No;  but  they  were  dor- 
mant— sleeping  as  soundly,  perhaps  as  uneasily,  as  he  had 
been  doing  about  an  hour  before.  He  scarcely  understood 
Hildegarde,  as  with  repeated  assurances  that  she  was  very, 
very  glad  to  see  him  again,  she  incoherently  related  that  she 
had  travelled  to  Wurtzburg  with  some  friends  of  Made- 
moiselle Hortense's ;  they  had  been  very  kind,  and  had 
insisted  on  her  remaining  with  them  a  couple  of  days,  to 
recover  from  the  fatigue  of  her  night  journey;  that  they 
had  accompanied  her  to  the  coach,  and  advised  her  to  sleep 
at  Aschaffenburg ;  that  she  had  recognised  Hamilton's  voice 
when  speaking  to  Hans,  had  seen  his  face  when  the  man 
demanded  his  passport,  "  And  then,"  she  added,  "  I  knew 
that  all  my  difficulties  about  travelling  were  at  an  end ;  so  I 
sat  down  on  my  trunk  and  waited  to  see  when  you  would 
recognise  me !" 

"  How  could  I  recognise  your  voice  when  you  whispered, 
or  your  face,  when  covered  with  that  impervious  veil  ? 
Indeed,  it  is  impossible  to  see  anything  at  a  few  feet  distance 
from  these  lamps,  which  seem  but  intended  to  make  the 
'  darkness  visible.'     The  moment  you  spoke  I  knew  you." 

"  That  I  expected,"  said  Hildegarde ;  "  otherwise  I  should 
have  been  tempted  to  preserve  my  incognito  a  little  longer." 

"  I  am  very  glad  you  did  not — but  where  is  the  man  with 


THE  J0URNE1    HOME  COMMENCES.  471 

our  bags  and  boxes  ?"  he  cried,  looking  round.  He  was  no 
longer  visible,  though  they  could  still  indistinctly  hear  the 
sound  of  the  jogging  of  the  wheelbarrow  over  the  rough 
paving-stones  in  the  distance.  With  a  merry  laugh  they  ran 
together  down  the  street,  and  overtook  him  just  as  he  rolled 
his  clumsy  little  vehicle  under  an  archway,  lighted  by  two 
handsome  lamps,  and  where  their  arrival  was  immediately 
announced  by  the  ringing  of  a  large  bell. 

They  reached  Frankfort  the  next  day,  just  in  time  to  dine 
at  the  table  d'hote;  but  Hildegarde's  appearance  caused  so 
many  inquiries,  that  Hamilton  followed  her  to  her  room  to 
advise  her  not  dining  there  in  future. 

"  I  shall  scarcely  be  here  to-morrow,"  she  said,  pushing 
back  her  bonnet,  while  she  rummaged  a  little  writing-desk 
for  some  paper.  "  Oh  !  here  it  is,"  she  added,  "  Hortense's 
letter  of  introduction.  I  am  sure  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to 
go  with  me  to  find  out  the  house  of  this  lady — this  Baroness 
Waldorf!" 

"  Who  ?"  cried  Hamilton. 

"  Baroness  Waldorf." 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  it  was  to  her  you  were 
going?" 

"  Because  I  did  not  think  it  could  interest  you  in  any  way 
— I  never  heard  you  speak  of  her.  Have  you  seen  her? 
Do  you  know  anything  about  her?" 

"  I  met  her  at  Edelhof — Zedwitz  is  guardian  to  her 
daughter." 

"  Oh,  tell  me  something  about  her,"  cried  Hildegarde, 
eagerly,  to  Hamilton's  surprise  quite  indifferent  to  the  latter 
part  of  his  speech.  "  Tell  me  all  you  know  about  her.  Is 
she  a  person  to  whom  I  am  likely  to  become  attached  ?" 

"  I  don't  know — I  rather  think  not.  Oh,  Hildegarde,  let 
me  advise  you,  as  a  friend,  to  give  up  this  plan  altogether, 
and  go  back  to  your  step-mother — If  you  would  only  listen 
to  me  patiently  for  ten  minutes " 

"  I  cannot  listen  to  you,"  said  Hildegarde,  interrupting 
him,  "  for  I  have  made  an  engagement — a  promise  to  remain 
a  whole  year,  under  all  circumstances,  with  the  Baroness 
Waldorf.  She  would  not  make  any  other  sort  of  agreement, 
as  she  is  going  to  Florence  for  the  winter.  She  alone  can 
release  me  from  this  promise — but  I  cannot  say  I  wish  it,  as 
I  rather  enjoy  the  idea  of  going  to  Italy." 


472  THE  INITIALS. 

11  Under  other  circumstances  I  could  easily  imagine  it." 

li  And  under  what  other  circumstances  am  I  likely  to  see 
Italy — or  even  the  Rhine,  near  as  it  now  is  to  me?" 

Hamilton  was  silent. 

"  Let  us  go,"  said  Hildegarde,  taking  up  her  gloves.  "  You 
will  not,  I  am  sure,  try  to  dissuade  me  any  longer,  when  I  tell 
you  that  I  cannot  endure  the  life  I  should  have  to  lead  at 
the  Iron  Works ;  my  habits  and  education  have  unfortu- 
nately made  me  totally  unfit  for  it.  I  have  made  the  trial, 
and  must  now  with  regret  confess  that  the  details  of  domestic 
life  are  not  only  tiresome,  but  absolutely  disgusting  to  me." 

"  So,  then,"  said  Hamilton,  "  you  have  discovered  that 
riches  are  necessary  to  your  happiness?" 

"  Not  exactly  riches,"  replied  Hildegarde,  little  aware  of 
the  importance  attached  to  her  answer,  "  but  something 
beyond  the  actual  means  of  subsistence — enough  at  least  to 
insure  me  from  the  vulgar  cares  of  life,  and  to  enable  me  to 
associate  with  people  whose  habits  and  manners  are  similar 
to  mine." 

'-And  how  much  would  be  necessary  for  this?"  asked 
Hamilton,  gravely. 

"Oh,  indeed  I  don't  know,"  she  answered  carelessly, 
laughing,  "  nor  is  it  necessary  to  calculate.  That  I  have  it 
not  is  certain  ;  and  in  being  a  governess  I  see  the  only  means 
of  satisfying  my  wishes  at  present,  and  securing  a  compe- 
tence hereafter.  If  I  remain  ten  years  with  the  Baroness 
Waldorf,  I  shall  receive  a  pension  for  the  rest  of  my  life." 

"  And  do  you  think  you  could  not  endure  these  vulgar 
cares  of  life,  as  you  call  them,  even  with  a  person  you  loved?" 
asked  Hamilton,  still  more  earnestly. 

"  I  shall  never  be  tried  in  that  way,"  answered  Hildegarde 
firmly,  and  while  she  walked  on,  wholly  occupied  with  her 
immediate  concerns,  Hamilton  altogether  misunderstanding 
the  meaning  of  her  words,  concluded  she  referred  to  a  mar- 
riage with  Zedwitz  at  some  future  period.  Thus  uncon- 
sciously tormenting  each  other,  they  reached  the  Baroness 
Waldorf's  house,  and  finding  a  burly  porter  lounging  outside 
the  door,  they  asked  if  she  was  at  home. 

"  No — she  was  not — she  had  gone  to  Mayence." 

"  And  when  is  she  expected  to  return  ?"  asked  Hildegarde, 
anxiously. 

"  We  do  not  in  the  least  know,  Mademoiselle,  she  left  very 


THE  JOURNEY  HOME   COMMENCES.  473 

suddenly,  in  consequence  of  a  letter  which  she  received.  She 
is  sometimes  not  more  than  a  few  days  absent,  and  most 
of  the  carriages  and  horses  are  still  here.  Who  shall  I 
say ?" 

"It  is  of  do  consequence,"  said  Hamilton,  "we  merely 
wished  to  know  if  a  young  lady  from  Munich  was  not  ex- 
pected about  this  time  ?" 

The  man  said  he  would  inquire,  entered  the  house,  but 
returned  almost  directly,  saying,  that  no  one  was  expected, 
excepting  perhaps  Count  Zedwitz  on  his  way  home. 

Hamilton  and  Hildegarde  walked  on  together  for  some 
minutes  in  silence ;  at  length  the  latter  observed,  half  in- 
quiringly, "  I  suppose  I  have  no  right  to  be  offended  with 
this  Baroness  Waldorf?  It  must  have  been  urgent  business 
which  could  make  her  leave  Frankfort  just  when  she  ap- 
pointed me  to  be  here  ?" 

"  I  should  think  so,"  said  Hamilton,  "  but  she  might  have 
made  some  arrangement  for  your  reception  during  her  ab- 
sence. This  thoughtlessness  about  you  will  scarcely  pre- 
possess you  in  her  favour." 

"  Rich  people  are  seldom  considerate,"  began  Hildegarde, 
as  if  she  intended  to  moralise ;  but  suddenly  stopping,  she 
added :  "  You  are  right — she  has  placed  me  in  a  very  un- 
pleasant position — if  she  do  not  return  in  a  day  or  two,  I 
shall  neither  have  the  means  of  remaining  here  nor  returning 
home." 

"  Our  fortunate  meeting  at  Aschaffenburg,"  said  Hamilton, 
"  will  save  you  from  all  annoyances  of  that  description,  as 
you  know  I  can  arrange  everything  with  your  mother.  At 
all  events,  I  shall  not  leave  you  now  until  you  are  either  at 
home  again  or  residing  with  this — to  say  the  least — very 
thoughtless  person." 

"  But  will  not  delay  inconvenience  you  ?"  asked  Hildegarde. 

"  Not  in  the  least.  As  far  as  I  am  concerned  I  should  be 
glad  that  the  Baroness  would  not  return  for  six  weeks !  All 
places  are  alike  to  me  where  you  are ;  and  much  as  we  were 
together  at  the  Iron  Works,  you  have  more  time  to  bestow 
on  me  here ;  and  therefore  I  am  proportionably  happier." 

This  kind  of  speech  she  never  answered  ;  and  after  a  short 
pause  Hamilton  proposed  showing  her  the  gardens  which 
surrounded  the  town,  and  in  their  shady  walks  they  wandered 
until  evening. 

40* 


474  THE  INITIALS. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

WHAT  OCCURRED   AT   THE   HOTEL  D'ANGLETERRE 
FRANKFORT. 

The  next  day  after  dinner,  while  Hamilton  went  to  his 
banker's,  Hildegarde  looked  out  of  her  window,  and  watched, 
with  a  sort  of  quiet  indifference,  the  arrival  of  two  travelling 
carriages  at  the  hotel.  Out  of  the  first  sprang  a  tall  large 
man,  who,  merely  raising  two  fingers  to  his  travelling  cap  by 
way  of  salutation,  instantly  disappeared — and  even  while  the 
heated  and  tired  horses  were  still  being  led  up  and  down  the 
yard  others  were  brought  out,  and  the  servant,  after  great 
bustling  and  hurrying,  followed  his  master  into  the  hotel. 
Again  the  cracking  of  the  whips  and  ringing  of  bells  became 
audible,  and  another  and  larger  carriage  arrived — decidedly 
English.  The  well-built  vehicle  swung  easily  with  all  its  weight 
of  imperials  and  servants'  seats  behind,  and  out  of  it  stepped 
a  tall,  thin  gentleman,  with  a  grey  hat,  a  grey  coat,  grey 
trousers,  grey  gaiters,  and  grey  whiskers  !  An  elderly  lady 
followed,  her  face  half  concealed  by  her  pendent  lace  veil, 
and  two  young  and  pretty  girls  stopped  for  a  moment  to 
inspect  the  building  they  were  about  to  enter.  Hildegarde 
looked  at  her  watch,  it  was  the  hour  that  Hamilton  told  her 
he  would  return,  so  she  locked  her  door,  and  began  slowly  to 
walk  along  the  corridor  and  descend  the  stairs.  The  English 
family  were  just  turning  into  a  large  suite  of  rooms  on  the 
first  floor  as  she  passed — the  gentleman  in  grey  had  stopped 
at  the  door,  his  hat  fast  on  his  head ;  he  turned  to  his  wife, 
who  was  entering,  and  observed,  quite  loud  enough  for  Hil- 
degarde to  hear,  "  By  Jove,  that's  the  handsomest  girl  I 
have  seen  for  a  long  time  !"  The  lady  turned  round  and 
deliberately  raised  her  lorgnette  to  her  eye,  while  their  two 
daughters,  after  a  hasty  glance,  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  papa,  T 
really  do  think  she  understood  you."  Hildegarde  walked 
quickly  on,  but  met  so  many  servants  and  strangers  that  she 
took  refuge  at  last  in  the  large  dining-room,  which  at  that 
hour  was  generally  quite  unoccupied. 

One  solitary  individual  sat  at  the  enormous  table.     He 


WHAT  OCCURRED  AT  HOTEL  D'ANGLETERRE.     475 

seemed  to  have  been  dining,  and  Hildegarde  walked  to  one 
of  the  windows  without  looking  at  him.  Soon  after  she 
heard  him  striding  up  and  down  the  room,  and  as  the  waiter 
entered  with  some  fruit  and  confitures,  he  asked  rather  impa- 
tiently, "  Has  my  servant  not  yet  dined  ?  Tell  him  to  make 
haste — he  knows  we  have  no  time  to  lose." 

The  voice  was  familiar  to  Hildegarde,  she  unconsciously 
turned  round  to  look  at  the  speaker,  and  was  instantly  recog- 
nised by  Count  Zedwitz,  who,  with  a  look  of  astonishment, 
hurried  toward  her,  exclaiming,  "  Mademoiselle  Rosenberg  ! 
What  on  earth  has  brought  you  to  Frankfort?" 

"  I  came  here  intending  to  go  to  a  Baroness  Waldorf  as 
governess  to  her  daughter — she  has  gone  to  Mayence,  I  hear, 
and " 

"  And  you  are  here  alone,  unprotected,  and  I  cannot  offer 
to  stay  with  you — I  do  not  know  if  you  have  heard  that  my 
father  is  dying — no  hope  whatever  of  his  recovery ;  I  only 
received  the  intelligence  yesterday,  and  am  now  travelling- 
night  and  day  to  reach  home  in  time  to  see  him  once  more !" 

At  this  moment  the  servant  entered  to  say  that  the  car- 
riage was  ready. 

"  Very  well :  you  may  go — and — shut  the  door — Hilde- 
garde, I  mean  Mademoiselle  Rosenberg — do  not  remain  here. 
Give  up  this  idea  of  going  to  Ida  Waldorf;  it  will  never 
answer — believe  me  you  will  be  most  unhappy  I" 

"  It  must  answer,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  and  I  shall  not  be 
unhappy,  for  the  idea  of  being  a  governess  is  familiar  to  me 
from  my  infancy,  and  has  therefore  lost  all  its  terrors." 

"  Excuse  my  questioning  you,"  cried  Zedwitz  quickly,  "but 
may  I  ask  how  you  happen  to  become  acquainted  with  the 
Baroness  Waldorf?" 

"  I  do  not  know  her  at  all — I  never  saw  her — it  was  all 
arranged  by  Mademoiselle  Hortense,  one  of  the  governesses 
of  our  school." 

"Did  the  Baroness  Waldorf  know  your  name?"  asked 
Zedwitz,  eagerly. 

"  At  first,  perhaps  not,"  answered  Hildegarde,  with  a  look 
of  surprise,  "  but  in  the  letter  which  told  her  that  I  had  left 
Munich,  Mademoiselle  Hortense  must  have  mentioned  it — I 
should  think  my  name  a  matter  of  very  little  importance !" 

"  In  this  instance,  you  are  mistaken — I — I  fear  the  Baro- 
ness is  not  likely  to  return  for  some  time — I " 


476  TEE  INITIALS. 

"  Her  servant  said  she  would  not  be  long  absent — that  her 
leaving  was  quite  a  sudden  thing,"  observed  Hildegarde. 

"  Her  leaving  when  she  expected  you  was  unpardonable, 
cruel,  ungenerous  !"  exclaimed  Zedwitz,  vehemently. 

"  I  was  rather  shocked  at  first  myself,  but  I  afterwards 
thought  she  had  not  perhaps  received  the  letter  in  time " 

"  She  did  receive  it,  I  am  sure  she  did — it  was  the  letter 
which — Oh,  Mademoiselle  Rosenberg,  do  not  remain  here 
any  longer — return  to  your  relations,  return  with  me  now — 
at  once." 

Hildegarde  blushed  intensely. 

':  I  shall  send  my  servant  with  the  carriage,"  he  added 
quickly,  "  and  we  can  travel  in  the  diligence,  or  in  any  way 
you  please." 

"  You  are  very  kind,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  but  I  consider 
myself  engaged  to  this  Baroness  Waldorf,  and  until  I  hear 
from  her " 

"  You  will  not  hear  from  her,  you  will  never  hear  from 
her  !"  he  cried,  impatiently,  "  and  I  must  leave  you  ;  I  cannot, 
dare  not  delay  my  return  home  now  !" 

Again  Hildegarde  blushed,  she  endeavoured  to  name  Ham- 
ilton, but  the  words  died  on  her  lips,  and  her  confusion  in- 
creased every  moment.  Some  people  began  to  stray  into  the 
room,  and  Zedwitz  added  in  an  agitated  whisper :  "  God 
forgive  me  for  thinking  of  anything  but  my  father  when  he 
is  lying  on  his  death-bed ;  the  peculiarity  of  our  position 
must  be  my  excuse  for  telling  you  at  such  a  time,  that  my 
feelings  toward  you  are  unchanged,  unchangeable.  Return 
to  your  family,  and  let  me  hope  that  time  may  so  far  overcome 
your  dislike,  or  indifference,  whichever  it  be " 

"  Oh,  Count  Zedwitz,  it  is  neither,"  said  Hildegarde,  with 
evident  effort.  "  I  should  be  unworthy  of  such  regard  as 
you  feel  for  me,  were  I  not  now  to  tell  you  that — I  have — 
long — loved  another." 

"  Hamilton  of  course — I  always  feared  it." 

Hildegarde  was  silent. 

"  If  you  are  engaged  to  him,  tell  me  so ;  it  is  the  only 
means  of  effectually  crushing  all  my  hopes  at  once !" 

"  We  have  no  engagement,  he  cannot  enter  into  any;  he 
does  not  even  know  that  I  regard  him  otherwise  than  as  a 
friend !" 

"  Then  listen  to  me,  Hildegarde :  notwithstanding  all  the 


WHAT  OCCURRED  AT  HOTEL  D'ANOLETERRE.     477 

admiration,  all  the  love  which  he  undoubtedly  feels  for  you 
now — when  he  has  been  some  time  at  home  among  the 
friends  and  companions  of  his  youth — he  will  forget  you !" 

"  I  think  he  will,"  said  Hildegarde  with  a  deep  sigh. 

"  And  you  too  will  forget  this  youthful  fancy,"  continued 
Zedwitz. 

"  Youthful  fancy !"  she  repeated  slowly,  "  I  fear  I  have 
neither  youthful  fancies  nor  youthful  feelings ;  I  have  had 
no  youth  !" 

"  It  will  come  like  a  late  spring,  and  bestow  on  you  at  once 
those  blessings  which  others  receive  so  gradually,  that  they 
are  insensible  to  them." 

Hildegarde  shook  her  head  and  turned  to  the  window. 
Zedwitz  seemed  to  wish  to  say  something  which  embarrassed 
him.  "  In  case  you  should  find  this  hotel  more  expensive 
than  you  expected,"  he  began  in  an  hesitating  manner. 

"  Oh,  not  at  all  expensive,"  said  Hildegarde.  "  I  had  no 
idea  one  could  live  so  cheaply  at  such  a  place !" 

Zedwitz  looked  surprised ;  he  would  have  been  more  so  if 
he  had  seen  the  bill  which  she  had  paid  Hamilton  with  such 
childish  satisfaction  a  couple  of  hours  before.  It  is  needless 
to  say  that  it  had  been  written  by  him,  as  soon  as  he  had 
discovered  that  she  had  not  the  most  remote  idea  of  the 
expenses  of  travelling,  that  he  had  taken  advantage  of  her 
ignorance  to  prevent  her  feeling  any  annoyance  or  uneasiness. 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  how  unwilling  I  am  to  leave  you,"  said 
Zedwitz,  after  a  pause  ;  "  but  go  I  must.  Until  we  meet  again, 
let  me  indulge  the  hope  that  a  time  may  come " 

Just  at  that  moment  the  hotel-keeper  entered  the  room 
and  approached  the  window  where  they  were  standing. 
Zedwitz  turned  round,  and  Hildegarde  in  her  anxiety  to 
undeceive  him,  and  fearing  he  was  leaving  her  under  a  false 
impression,  stretched  out  her  hand  to  detain  him ;  the  action 
was  misunderstood,  he  caught  it  between  both  his,  and  while 
she  endeavoured  in  vain  to  stammer  a  few  words  of  explana- 
tion, he  whispered,  "  Thank  you  a  thousand  times,  you  do 
not  know  how  even  this  faint  ray  of  hope  will  lighten  the 
gloominess  of  my  present  journey !" 

He  then  took  the  innkeeper  aside,  and  spoke  long  and 
earnestly  to  him  about  her,  said  he  knew  her  family — re- 
quested him  to  let  her  know  every  opportunity  that  might 
offer  for  a  return  to  Munich  in  respectable  society — gave  him 


478  THE  INITIALS. 

his  address,  the  name  of  his  banker,  and  unlimited  credit  on 
her  account ;  and  just  as  the  innkeeper,  with  an  only  half 
suppressed  smile  of  amusement,  was  about  to  explain  to  him 
that  he  need  not  be  so  uneasy  about  the  lady,  as  she  was 
already  under  the  protection  of  a  young  Englishman,  Zed- 
witz,  reproaching  himself  for  the  delay  which  had  occurred, 
sprang  into  the  carriage,  and  a  moment  after  it  rolled  from 
under  the  archway  past  the  window  where  Hildegarde  still 
stood,  a  prey  to  the  most  distressing  and  contending  emo- 
tions. 

After  waiting  more  than  half  an  hour  longer,  and  Ham- 
ilton not  appearing,  she  retired  to  her  room,  supposing  some 
unexpected  busiuess  had  detained  him  ;  but  when  several 
hours  elapsed,  and  he  was  still  absent,  she  became  uneasy. 
A  feeling  of  delicacy  prevented  her  from  making  any  in- 
quiries, and  she  sat  at  her  window,  long  after  dusk,  trying 
to  discover  him  in  every  tall  dark  figure  she  saw  moving 
near  the  entrance  or  in  the  court  below.  A  sensation  of 
utter  loneliness  came  over  her,  thoughts  of  the  most  melan- 
choly description  chased  each  other  through  her  mind;  when, 
from  a  reverie  of  this  kind,  she  recognised  the  well-known 
quick  step,  and  a  low  knock  at  the  door  made  her  conscious 
that  Hamilton  was  near ;  all  the  painful  reminiscences — 
uncertainties — Zedwitz — everything,  was  in  a  moment  for- 
gotten ;  and  she  rose  quickly  and  joyously  from  her  chair  to 
meet  him.  It  was  too  dark  for  Hamilton  to  see  the  tears 
which  still  lingered  in  her  long  eye-lashes,  and  too  dark  for 
her  to  observe  the  flushed  and  irritated  expression  of  his 
whole  countenance. 

"  Shall  I  light  the  candles  ?"  she  asked  cheerfully. 

"  If  you  wish  it,  but  I  prefer  the  room  as  it  is." 

She  sat  down  near  him,  and  after  a  pause  observed,  "  You 
were  long  absent ;  was  there  any  difficulty  at  the  banker's  ?" 

"  None  whatever."  Another  pause — then  suddenly  turning 
towards  her,  he  said  quickly,  "  I  have  been  thinking  that  as 
the  Baroness  Waldorf  has  a  house  at  Mayence,  she  may  be 
longer  absent  than  her  servants  supposed.  A  few  hours 
would  take  you  to  Mayence." 

"  Do  you  think  it  necessary  to  follow  her  there?" 

"Not  exactly  necessary,  but  why  not?  You  have  often 
wished  to  see  the  Rhine." 

"  Oh,  it  would  be  too  delightful !"  exclaimed  Hildegarde. 


WHAT  OCCURRED  AT  HOTEL  &ANGLETERRE.     479 

"  If  you  think  so,"  said  Hamilton,  every  trace  of  annoy- 
ance disappearing  from  his  face,  "  why,  the  sooner  we  go  the 
better." 

"  But  the  expense,"  said  Hildegarde,  hesitatingly. 

"  Will  not  be  greater  than  remaining  here  ;  do  not  let  that 
weigh  with  you  for  a  moment." 

"  Perhaps  I  ought  to  write  to  my  mother,  or  Hortense  ?" 

"  You  cannot  have  an  answer  for  several  days,  and  it  is 
better  to  wait  until  you  have  seen  the  Baroness  Waldorf ;  I 
should  think  whether  you  were  here  or  at  Mayence  must  be 
a  matter  of  indifference  to  them,  and  I  am  sure  your  mother 
would  be  quite  satisfied  if  she  knew  that  you  were  under  my 
care !" 

"  That  I  think  too,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  and  I  should  like 
to  put  an  end  to  my  present  state  of  uncertainty  as  soon  as 
possible.  I  do  not,"  she  continued,  half  laughing,  "  I  do  not 
feel  any  sort  of  scruples  about  travelling  with  you ;  I  sup- 
pose, because  we  have  lived  so  long  in  the  same  house,  and 
I  know  you  so  well ;  but  when  Count  Zedwitz  to-day  pro- 
posed my  returning  home  with  him " 

"  Zedwitz  !     To-day  !"  repeated  Hamilton,  amazed. 

"  Yes.  In  passing  through  Frankfort  to-day,  he  dined  and 
changed  horses  here.  I  saw  him  for  a  few  minutes  when  I 
was  waiting  for  your  return ;  he  strongly  advised  me  not  to 
go  to  the  Baroness  Waldorf,  and  seemed,  oddly  enough,  to 
think  she  had  gone  away  on  purpose." 

"Not  impossible — not  improbable.  Did  he  explain,  in  any 
way,  the  cause  of  his  suspicions  ?" 

"  No,  he  had  not  time,  his  father  is  dying,  and  he  is,  of 
course,  most  anxious  to  get  home.     He — he  went  away  just 

as  I  was  going  to  tell  him  that  you  was   here "  she 

stopped,  embarrassed. 

"  Hildegarde,  let  us  go  to  Mayence,"  cried  Hamilton, 
abruptly. 

"  As  early  as  you  please  to-morrow  morning,"  she  answered, 
cheerfully. 

"  Not  to-morrow  morning — this  evening — in  an  hour — in 
half  an  hour !" 

"  But — but  it  is  night — almost  dark  already." 

"  Well,  what  difference  does  that  make?" 

"  They  told  me  never  to  travel  at  night ;  it  was  to  avoid 
doing  so  that  I  stopped  at  Aschaffenburg." 


480  THE  INITIALS. 

"  That  was  when  you  were  alone,  and  travelling  in  a  public 
carriage." 

"  I  do  not,  however,  see  any  necessity  for  such  haste,"  she 
said  quietly,  "  and,  therefore,  if  you  have  no  objections,  I 
should  greatly  prefer  waiting  until  morning." 

"  But  I  have  an  objection,  and  you  will  greatly  oblige  me 
by  leaving  to-night." 

"  I  suppose  you  have  some  very  good  reason  for  what 
appears  to  me  a  most  unnecessary  exercise  of  the  power 
which  chance  has  given  you  over  me?" 

"  I  have  a  reason,"  began  Hamilton,  and  there  he  stopped. 
How  could  he  tell  her  that  he  had  recognised  his  own  coat- 
of-arms  on  a  carriage  in  the  yard — that  he  had  questioned 
the  courier,  who  was  unpacking  it,  and  discovered  that  the 
same  uncle  who  had  been  in  Saltzburg  the  year  before,  was 
now  on  his  way  to  Baden-Baden  with  his  wife  and  daughters ; 
that  he  dreaded  their  discovering  Hildegarde's  being  with 
him,  feared  the  ungenerous  conclusions  they  might  draw 
from  her  present  position ;  and  that,  to  avoid  a  chance 
meeting,  he  had  wandered  about  the  least  frequented  streets, 
until  the  shades  of  evening,  and  the  certainty  of  their  being 
engaged  at  the  tea-table,  had  enabled  him  to  pass  their  apart- 
ments, with  the  hope  of  not  being  discovered.  To  attempt 
an  explanation  with  Hildegarde  would  be  sufficient  to  make 
her  insist  on  his  leaving  her  instantly ;  his  only  chance  was 
to  use  his  personal  influence  and  try  to  persuade  her  to  leave 
Frankfort  that  night,  before  they  had  been  seen — before 
the  "  strangers'  book"  had  given  rise  to  any  inquiries  about 
them. 

"  Well,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  I  have  surely  a  right  to  hear 
your  reason  ?" 

"  Bight !  Oh,  if  we  talk  of  rights,  it  is  you  alone  who 
should  name  the  day  and  hour  of  departure — you  alone  who 
have  a  right  to  dictate ;  but  I  was  asking  a  favour,  I  wish 
most  particularly  to  be  in  Mayence  at  a  very  early  hour  to- 
morrow." 

"  And  if  we  leave  at  three  or  four  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
will  not  that  be  early  enough  ?" 

Hamilton  looked  only  half  satisfied. 

"  I  do  not  like  the  appearance  of  going  off  at  night  in  so 
sudden  and  mysterious  a  manner — not  even — with  you,"  said 
Hildegarde,  candidly. 


HALT!  481 

"Perhaps  you  are  right — but  at  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning  if  the  exertion  be  not  too  great." 

"  Oh,"  said  Hildegarde,  laughing,  "  you  will  find  it  more 
difficult  to  be  ready  than  I  shall." 

"  Not  to-morrow,"  said  Hamilton ;  "  I  shall  be  at  your 
door  waiting  for  you,  even  before  the  clock  strikes."  And 
in  the  morning,  when  she  opened  her  door,  there  he  stood. 
He  unconsciously  stepped  lighter  as  he  passed  the  rooms 
containing  his  sleeping  relations.  Hildegarde  pointed  to 
thorn,  and  said  they  were  occupied  by  English  people ;  she 
had  seen  them  arrive  the  day  before,  had  passed  them  on 
her  way  down  stairs,  and,  while  still  talking  of  the  grey  man 
and  the  veiled  lady,  Hamilton  hurried  her  into  the  carriage 
and  they  drove  off. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 
halt! 


It  was  still  early  when  Hildegarde  and  Hamilton  reached 
Mayence ;  so  early,  that,  after  lingering  over  their  breakfast 
an  unusually  long  time,  the  latter  said  he  would  make  some 
inquiries  about  the  Baroness  Waldorf,  and  Hildegarde  could 
go  to  her  at  a  later  hour.  After  a  very  short  absence  he 
returned,  and  throwing  himself  into  a  chair,  exclaimed, 
"  Well,  certainly  this  is  the  most  unaccountable  conduct !" 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?"  asked  Hildegarde,  turning  very 
pale,  "  has  she  left  Mayence  too  ?" 

"  Yes — gone  again  ;  and  without  leaving  any  message  for 
you !" 

"  There  must  be  some  extraordinary  mistake  or  confusion 
either  on  her  part  or  Hortense's  !  I  could  almost  agree  with 
Count  Zedwitz,  and  think  she  was  purposely  avoiding  me,  if 
I  had  not  read  the  letters  which  she  wrote — her  hopes  that 
we  should  be  long  together — her  regrets  that  I  was  not  a 
few  years  older — her  entreaties  that  Hortense  would  not  let 
me  leave  Munich  until  she  had  found  some  person  to  take 
charge  of  me :  and  now  to  leave  me  to  wander  about  after 
her  in  this  way !  So  apparently  to  forget  my  existence ! 
It  is  quite  incomprehensible  I" 
▼       ff  41 


482  THE  INITIALS. 

"  She  has  gone  to  Waldorf,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and  a — 
Waldorf  is  not  far  from  Coblentz." 

"  You  surely  would  not  advise  me  to  pursue  her  farther !" 
cried  Hildegarde,  indignantly. 

"  Oh,  no !  I  have  advised,  and  still  advise  you  to  go 
home." 

"  And  yet  I  shall  make  one  effort  more,  though  most  un- 
willingly," said  Hildegarde;  "I  should  be  ashamed  to  go 
home  after  a  wild-goose  chase  of  this  kind ;  I  must  know  at 
least  what  to  say  to  my  relations.  Suppose  I  were  to  write 
to  the  Baroness,  and  await  her  answer  here  ?  That  will — 
that  must  explain  everything." 

"  Write,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and  we  can  take  it  to  the  post 
ourselves,  when  we  go  out  with  a  valet  de  place,  who  must 
show  us  everything  worth  seeing.  I  dare  say  we  can  spend 
two  or  three  days  very  pleasantly  here." 

"I  shall  be  dreadfully  in  your  debt!"  observed  Hilde- 
garde, blushing. 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  Hamilton,  with  the  most  serious  face 
imaginable.  "  You  have  more  than  enough  money  for  all 
your  expenses  here,  though  perhaps  not  quite  enough  to 
take  you  home." 

The  letter  was  written,  and  they  sallied  forth,  preceded  by 
a  loquacious  valet  de  place,  to  whose  remarks,  after  the  first 
five  minutes,  they  did  not  pay  the  slightest  attention. 

When  they  were  returning  to  the  hotel,  by  a  newly-made 
walk  along  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  Hildegarde  stopped  to 
look  at  a  new  and  beautifully-built  steamboat,  on  which 
there  was  a  placard  hung  up  to  say  that  she  would  sail  the 
next  morning  for  Cologne. 

"  Should  you  like  to  see  the  interior,  Hildegarde  ?" 

"  Oh,  of  all  things !"  and  the  steamboat  was  examined 
with  a  degree  of  curiosity,  interest,  and  admiration,  of 
which  those  accustomed  to  the  sight  from  infancy  can  form 
no  idea.  The  captain  of  the  ship,  who  happened  to  be  on 
board,  attracted  probably  by  her  appearance,  had  every 
drawer  and  cupboard  opened  for  her  inspection,  and  Ham- 
ilton was  beginning  to  find  his  explanations  rather  long  and 
tiresome,  when  he  suddenly  concluded  them  by  hoping  that 
she  was  to  be  one  of  his  passengers  the  next  day. 

"  We  have  not  yet  quite  decided,"  said  Hamilton,  laugh- 
ing at  her  embarrassment ;  "  though  I  do  not,"  he  added, 


HALT!  483 

turning  to  her,  "  I  do  not  in  fact  see  what  there  is  to  pre- 
vent us." 

"  We  shall  have  fine  weather,"  observed  the  captain,  "  and 
shall  be  in  Cologne  in  good  time  in  the  evening." 

"  I  don't  think  we  could  do  better,  Hildegarde,"  said 
Hamilton,  in  a  low  voice  in  English. 

"  I  am  afraid  it  would  be  improper — wrong,  without  any 
object  but  amusement !  just  consider  for  a  moment." 

"  I  cannot,"  said  Hamilton,  "  see  any  greater  impropriety 
in  your  passing  a  day  or  two  in  a  crowded  steamboat,  than 
at  a  hotel  along  with  me — rather  less,  perhaps,  but  I  deny 
the  impropriety  altogether,  when  I  take  into  consideration 
that  I  have  been  one  of  your  family  for  the  last  year,  and 
that  you  have  learned  so  completely  to  consider  me  a  friend 
— almost  a  relation." 

"  That  is  true,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  but  still " 

"  Then,"  continued  Hamilton,  "  you  cannot  have  an  answer 
to  your  letter  for  three  days  at  least — we  shall  be  back  just 
in  time  to  receive  it.  Whether  we  pass  to-morrow  night  at 
Cologne  or  Mayence,  is  quite  unimportant,  and  I  should 
like  to  show  you  the  Rhine  scenery.  Let  it  be  hereafter 
associated  in  your  mind  with  your  recollections  of  me !" 

This  last  sentence  was  pronounced  half  pathetically,  half 
beseechingly,  and  Hildegarde  made  no  further  opposition  to 
a  plan  which  accorded  but  too  well  with  her  own  inclina- 
tions. 

We  will  spare  our  readers  the  description  of  the  impression 
made  on  her  by  the  Rheingeau,  Johannisberg,  the  Lurlei, 
Coblentz,  Rolandseck,  the  Drachenfels,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

"What  a  pretty  room!"  said  Hildegarde  to  Hamilton, 
who  had  followed  her  up  the  stairs  of  the  Hotel  Bellevue  at 
Deutz.  "  What  a  pretty  room  !  We  have  a  complete  view 
of  the  Rhine,  and  quite  overlook  the  garden.  I  really 
should  like  to  stay  here  a  week — if  I  dared." 

"  I  have  no  objection,"  said  Hamilton,  laughing,  "though 
I  have  just  heard  there  are  so  many  princes  and  serene 
highnesses  in  the  house  that  I  must  sleep  on  the  sofa  in 
this  room,  if  you  have  no  objection ;  for  only  this  and  the 
bedroom  adjoining  are  to  be  had." 

The  waiter  entered  the  room  just  at  this  moment  to  inquire 
if  M.  and  Madame  would  sup  there,  or  at  the  table  d'hote. 

"  Here,"  said  Hamilton,  and   he  blushed  deeply,  as  he 


484  THE  INITIALS. 

turned  to  Hildegarde,  who  was  sitting  on  the  window  stool, 
but  no  longer  looking  at  the  Rhine,  or  into  the  garden — she 
had  fixed  her  eyes  on  the  door  as  the  waiter  closed  it,  and 
with  parted  lips  and  slightly  contracted  brows,  seemed  ex- 
pecting to  hear  more. 

"  You  look  quite  shocked  at  that  man's  stupid  mistake," 
said  Hamilton,  with  affected  carelessness. 

"  It  was  not  a  stupid  mistake ;  it  was  a  very  natural 
conclusion." 

"  You  mean  on  account  of  the  rooms,  perhaps  ?  Don't  let 
that  annoy  you,  for  you  shall  have  undisturbed  possession 
of  both — I  dare  say  I  can  get  a  bed  at  one  of  the  inns  at 
the  other  side  of  the  river — indeed,  I  should  have  proposed 
it  at  once,  only  I  did  not  like  to  leave  you  here  alone." 

"  I  am  afraid  you  will  think  me  very  selfish,"  said  Hilde- 
garde. 

"  Not  at  all." 

"  Unnecessarily  prudish,  then  ?" 

"  Rather." 

"  You  are  right,"  she  said  with  a  sigh,  "  after  having  gone 
off  with  you  in  this — this  very — thoughtless  manner,  any 
attempt  at  prudery  is  preposterous — ridiculous !  There  is, 
in  fact,  nothing  to  prevent  your  sleeping  in  this  room,  if  you 
do  not  fear  the  sofa  being  too  uncomfortable." 

"  There  is  something  to  prevent  me,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and 
that  is,  you  do  not  wish  it.  I  will  go  at  once  across  the 
bridge,  and  if  there  be  any  room  to  be  had,  not  quite  at  the 
other  end  of  the  town,  I  shall  not  return  until  morning." 

"  But  had  you  not  better  wait  until  after  supper?" 

"  It  is  scarcely  advisable,  for  at  this  time  of  the  year 
there  are  so  many  travellers,  that  nothing  in  the  neighbour- 
hood may  be  to  be  had  ;  and  you  know  we  start  early."  While 
he  spoke,  however,  the  waiter  appeared  with  the  tray  con- 
taining their  supper,  and  half  blushing,  half  laughing,  they 
sat  down  together,  and  between  talking  and  eating,  in  the 
course  of  a  few  minutes,  forgot  all  about  the  matter. 

It  was  the  waiter,  the  "  stupid  man,"  who  was  again  to 
remind  them  of  the  impropriety  of  their  conduct.  He  had 
returned  to  say  that  the  band  of  one  of  the  regiments  at 
Cologne  would  play  in  the  garden — perhaps  Madame  would 
like  a  table  and  chair  to  be  kept  for  her  ? 

Hamilton  did  not  venture  to  look  at  his  companion,  as  he 


HALT!  485 

refused  the  offered  civility,  but  snatching  up  his  hat,  hurried 
away  as  fast  as  he  could. 

But  he  returned,  and  very  soon  too,  and  great  was  his 
annoyance  to  find  Hildegarde  already  in  her  room,  and  the 
door  closed  ;  he  walked  backwards  and  forwards,  not  very 
patiently  or  quietly,  for  about  ten  minutes,  and  then  knocked. 

"  Good  night,"  said  Hildegarde. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  tell  you  that  I  have  not  been  able  to  find 
a  room,  excepting  in  a  very  out-of-the-way  place :  as  the 
packet  leaves  so  early,  and  I  am  so  apt  to  be  late,  I  thought 
it  better  to  ask  you  what  I  should  do  ?" 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  began  Hildegarde. 

"  So  am  I,"  said  Hamilton,  "  but  as  it  cannot  be  helped,  I 
think  you  might  just  as  well  come  out  here  for  an  hour,  and 
talk  over  our  journey  back." 

"  I  am  going  to  bed ;  I  am  tired." 

"  Have  you  any  objection  to  my  smoking  a  cigar,  if  I  open 
the  window  ?" 

"  None  whatever,  you  may  smoke  a  dozen  if  you  like." 

He  opened  the  window  and  leaned  out  to  watch  the  gay 
scene  which  was  passing  below  him.  The  garden  was  crowded 
with  guests,  and  well  lit  with  candles,  protected  from  the 
wind  by  glass  globes ;  the  murmuring  of  voices,  and  gay 
laughter  reached  him,  and  had  he  not  still  entertained  a 
faint  hope  of  seeing  Hildegarde  again,  he  would  have  joined 
the  revellers,  not  in  the  hope  of  actual  enjoyment,  but  to 
banish  thoughts  which  were  crowding  thick  upon  him,  and 
producing  a  state  of  nervous  irritation  most  unusual  to  him. 
He  felt  so  provoked  at  Hildegarde's  tranquil,  friendly  man- 
ner ;  it  contrasted  so  painfully  with  his  own  state  of  feverish 
uncertainty,  that  the  jealous  vision  of  Zedwitz  unrepulsed, 
rose,  more  and  more  distinctly  before  him.  Would  not  the 
situation  of  governess  be  intolerable  to  one  of  her  proud 
nature? — and  after  having  tried  it,  would  she  not  joyfully 
accept  the  hand  of  Zedwitz,  who,  she  said,  "  loved  her  better 
than  anyone  ever  did — better  than  she  deserved  ?"  These 
thoughts  at  length  became  intolerable,  and  with  one  bound 
he  was  again  at  her  door. 

"  Hildegarde,  the  band  is  beginning  to  play  in  the  garden  j 
will  you  not  come  to  listen  to  it  ?" 

"  No,  thank  you." 

u  But  you  have  not  yet  gone  to  bed,  I  hope  ?" 
41* 


486  THE  INITIALS. 

There  was  no  answer  audible. 

"  You  have  not  yet  gone  to  bed  ?  I  want  to  speak  to  you 
— open  the  door,  I  beg — I  entreat." 

"  Whatever  you  have  to  say  can  be  said  to-morrow  just 
as  well  as  now." 

"  I  should  rather  say  it  now." 

"  And  I  should  rather  hear  it  to-morrow." 

Hamilton  knew  her  too  well  to  persevere,  and  returned 
again  to  his  window,  where  he  remained  for  more  than  an 
hour,  unconscious  of  everything  passing  beneath  him,  and 
merely  hearing  a  confused  sound  of  instruments,  which  had 
the  effect  of  producing  an  almost  painful  feeling  of  fatigue. 
He  closed  the  window,  and  looked  rather  despondingly  round 
the  room,  which,  as  a  dormitory,  promised  but  few  comforts, 
he  extinguished  the  candles,  and  then  threw  himself  at  full 
length  upon  the  sofa  :  he  had  been  thinking  intensely,  and 
as  he  lay  there  in  the  darkened  chamber,  he  resolved  that 
another  night  should  not  find  him  in  his  present  state  of 
uncertainty  ;  and  why  should  he  endure  it  now  ?  Why  not 
know  his  fate  at  once?  He  would  insist  on  Hildegarde's 
listening  to  him,  and  answering  him  too  !  Starting  up,  his 
eyes  were  instantly  rivetted  on  a  line  of  bright  light  visible 
under  her  door ;  she  was  still  awake ;  up  perhaps.  He 
knocked,  and  observed  in  a  low  voice,  as  he  leaned  against 
the  door,  "  Hildegarde,  I  cannot  sleep  !" 

"I  am  so  sorry!"  she  answered  —  "the  sofa,  I  sup- 
pose  " 

"  Yes,  the  sofa,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  I  wish,"  she  said,  coming  toward  the  door,  "  I  wish  1 
could  resign  this  room  to  you,  but " 

"  There  is  no  necessity ;  give  me  some  of  the  pillows  which 
you  do  not  want,  and  I  shall  be  quite  comfortable." 

"  How  stupid  of  me  not  to  have  thought  of  that  before !" 
she  exclaimed,  opening  the  door.  "  When  you  were  absent 
I  could  have  arranged  everything,  but  the  fact  is,  I  have 
been  for  the  last  two  hours  thinking — really  thinking,  more 
than  I  have  ever  done  in  my  life !" 

"  So  have  I,"  said  Hamilton,  quite  overlooking  the  pil- 
lows she  was  collecting  for  him.  "Suppose  we  compare 
thoughts?" 

"  Not  now,  to-morrow." 

"Now,  now;  this  very  instant,"  he  said,  seating  himself 


HALT!  487 

on  the  sofa,  and  motioning  to  her  to  take  the  place  beside 
him.     She  shook  her  head,  and  continued  standing. 

"  What  on  earth  do  you  mean  by  this  reserve — this  unusual 
prudery?"  he  continued,  moving  towards  the  side  against 
which  she  was  leaning. 

"  Nothing,"  she  said,  drawing  back,  "  I  only  think  it  would 
be  better  to  defer  anything  you  wish  to  speak  about  until 
to-morrow,  it  is  so  late — so  very  late." 

"  This  is  not  the  first  time  we  have  been  together  at  mid- 
night," said  Hamilton,  laughing  ;  but  as  he  spoke  she  blushed 
so  deeply,  that  he  added,  seriously,  "  When  there  was  any 
impropriety  in  it,  I  told  you ;  you  may  believe  me  now,  when 
I  tell  you  there  is  none  !" 

"  You  are  not  quite  infallible,  I  fear,"  she  said  sorrowfully, 
"  for  you  did  not  see  any  impropriety  in  my  travelling  alone 
with  you  here,  and  I  now  both  see  and  feel  it,  and  shall 
regret  it  all  my  life  !" 

"Good  heavens!"  exclaimed  Hamilton.  "Have  I  ever 
said  or  done  anything " 

"  Oh,  no,  never — never !"  cried  Hildegarde,  interrupting 
him. 

"  Then  why  withdraw  your  confidence  from  me,  if  I  have 
not  done  anything  to  forfeit  it  ?" 

"  I  have  the  same  confidence  in  you  I  ever  had,"  she  an- 
swered, with  a  sigh  ;  "  but  I have  unfortunately  lost  all 

confidence  in  myself!" 

"  How  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  I  have  discovered  that  it  was  not  a  wish  to  see  the  Rhine 
or  be  in  a  steamboat  which  made  me  leave  Mayence  with 

you." 

"  And  what  was  it,  then  ?"  cried  Hamilton,  eagerly. 

"  It  was  the  desire  to  be  with  you — to  enjoy  your  society 
undisturbed  for  a  few  days  before  we  parted  forever !" 

"  Not  forever,"  said  Hamilton. 

"  I  am  ashamed  to  think  how  easily  I  allowed  myself  to 
imagine  that  I  ought  to  follow  this  Baroness  Waldorf  to 
Mayence,  still  more  so  to  think  how  soon  I  stifled  my  scruples 
about  coming  here — and  so  effectually,  too,  that  the  whole 
obvious  impropriety  never  struck  me  until  this  evening,  when 
the  waiter " 

"  Was  guilty  of  the  horrible  supposition  that  you  were  my 
wife  !     Would  that  be  so  dreadful  ?"   asked  Hamilton. 


488  THE  INITIALS. 

11  The  waiter  showed  me  by  this  simple  remark,"  she  con- 
tinued, without  noticing  his  interruption,  "  that  I  ought  never 
to  have  been  with  you  as  I  have  been  under  any  other  cir- 
cumstances, and  I  felt  condemned  at  once.  I  must  return 
home  to  my  step-mother." 

"  Perhaps  for  a  couple  of  years,  it  would  be  the  best  thing 
you  could  do,"  said  Hamilton. 

"To  my  step-mother  or — to  Mademoiselle  Hortense?"  she 
said,  musingly,  as  she  seated  herself  on  a  chair,  and  uncon- 
sciously moved  it  towards  him.  "  Of  course  I  have  given  up 
all  idea  of  going  to  the  Baroness  Waldorf." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it.     I  never  liked  the  plan." 

"  And  I  am  so  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  give  it  up !" 

"  Do  not  regret  it — it  would  not  have  answered.  I  never 
saw  anyone  for  whom  the  situation  of  governess  was  less 
eligible,  notwithstanding  your  excellent  education  and  ex- 
traordinary talent  for  languages." 

"  Eligible  !"  repeated  Hildegarde.  "  You  are  right.  I  am 
no  longer  eligible — I  am  no  longer  fit  to  direct  the  education 
of — of  any  girl !" 

"  I  hope  you  will  never  speak  to  anyone  else  in  this 
manner,"  said  Hamilton,  gravely.  "  You  would  make  people 
suppose  you  had  been  guilty  of  some  serious  misdemeanor." 

"  I  have  been  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,"  said  Hildegarde, 
despondingly,  "  and  one  which  I  should  think  it  necessary  to 
confess  to  the  Baroness  Waldorf  before  I  entered  her  house ; 
having  done  so,  I  conclude  she  would  refuse  to  resign  her 
daughter  to  my  care.  To  avoid  the  merited  mortification,  I 
shall  go  home,  tell  everything  to  Hortense,  and  be  guided  by 
her  advice  for  the  next  year  or  two.  And  now,"  she  added, 
"  I  have  only  one  thing  more  to  observe,  and  that  is,  that  we 
ought  to  repair  our  thoughtlessness  as  well  as  we  can,  or, 
rather,  avoid  a  continuation  of  it,  by  separating  at  once.  I 
shall  return  to  Mayence  to-morrow,  and  you  must  go  on  to 
England." 

"  I  will  go  to — Scotland,  if  you  will  go  with  me,  Hilde- 
garde," said  Hamilton.  "  Don't  be  angry,  I  am  not  joking. 
I  have  listened  to  the  subject  of  your  two  hours'  meditation, 
and  now  I  expect  you  to  listen  to  mine."  And  he  entered 
into  a  long  and,  all  things  considered,  not  very  prejudiced 
exposition  of  the  state  of  his  affairs — informed  her  of  the 
£5,000  pounds  which  he  should  inherit  in  two  years,  and 


HALT!  489 

after  hoping  that  they  could  contrive  to  buy  something  and 
live  somewhere  with  that  sum,  ended,  as  he  had  begun,  by 
proposing  her  going  with  him  to  Scotland,  and  then  returning 
to  her  mother  until  he  could  claim  her  altogether. 

She  listened  in  silence,  the  expression  of  deep  attention 
changing  by  degrees  into  surprise  and  perplexity.  It  was 
the  first  time  that  the  idea  of  a  marriage  with  him  had 
entered  her  mind ;  she  had  taught  herself  to  consider  it  so 
completely  an  impossibility  that  his  occasional  outbursts  of 
passion  or  tenderness  had  ceased  to  make  any  impression  on 
her.  Ashamed  of  the  confession  which  she  had  so  ingenu- 
ously made  to  him  just  before,  and  not  prepared  for  the 
sudden  change  of  feelings  which  his  words  produced,  she 
turned  away,  and  when  he  paused  for  an  answer,  did  not 
even  make  an  attempt  to  speak. 

As  Hamilton  waited  in  vain  for  an  answer,  his  former 
doubts  became  certainties — she  liked,  but  did  not  love  him. 
With  a  difficulty  in  utterance,  in  strong  contrast  to  his  former 
fluency,  he  now  stammered  out  his  hopes  that  he  had  not 
deceived  himself  as  to  the  nature  of  her  feelings  towards 
him. 

"  No — oh  no,"  answered  Hildegarde,  but  without  turning 
round. 

"  And  you  do  or  will  try  to  love  me  sufficiently  to " 

"  Why  force  me  to  make  unnecessary  confessions,"  she 
said,  with  a  deep  blush ;  "  rather  let  me  ask  you  when  you 
heard  that  you  would  inherit  this  fortune  which  makes  you 
independent.     In  Frankfort,  perhaps  ?" 

"  No,"  replied  Hamilton,  "  I  knew  it  when  I  was  a  child, 
and  considered  it  then,  though  not  quite  a  fortune,  certainly 
a  very  large  sum  of  money." 

"  And  is  it  not  a  very  large  sum  of  money  ?" 

"  For  a  boy  to  buy  playthings  and  ponies,  yes ;  but  for  a 
man  to  live  upon "  he  paused  ;  there  was  too  much  intel- 
ligence in  her  eager  glance. 

"  For  a  man,"  she  said,  "  brought  up  as  you  have  been,  it 
is  probably  too  little — nothing  !' 

"  Not  so,"  cried  Hamilton,  quickly.  "  With  my  present 
ideas  and  feelings  it  is  a  competence — it  is  all  I  require — all 
I  wish." 

"  You  could  then  have  married  Crescenz  if  you  had  desired 
it?"  she  said,  slowly. 


490  THE  INITIALS. 

"  I  could  never  have  loved  her  well  enough  to  induce  me 
to  make  the  sacrifice " 

"  The  sacrifice  !     And  it  is  great — very  great,  perhaps  ?" 

"  It  ceases  to  be  one  when  made  for  you." 

"  And  you  have  only  lately — only  very  lately,  perhaps, 
been  able  to  resolve  on  this  sacrifice  ?" 

"  Let  me  use  your  own  words,  Hildegarde.  Do  not  force 
me  to  make  unnecessary  confessions,"  said  Hamilton,  blush- 
ing more  deeply  than  she  herself  had  done. 

She  leaned  on  the  table,  and  bent  her  head  over  her  hands. 
Hamilton  felt  very  uncomfortable.  "  I  expected,"  he  said, 
at  length,  with  some  irritation,  "  I  expected  that  this  ex- 
planation would  have  been  differently  received." 

"  I  wish,"  she  answered,  "  it  had  never  been  made.  I 
would  rather  have  remembered  you  as  I  thought  you — de- 
pendent on  your  father's  will — having  no  option." 

"  This  is  too  much  !"  cried  Hamilton,  starting  from  the 
sofa,  and  striding  up  and  down  the  room.  "  I  have  fallen 
in  your  esteem  when — but  you  do  not  understand." 

"  Probably  not  quite,  but  this  is  evident  to  me,  the  sacri- 
fice must  be  something  enormous — beyond  what  I  can 
imagine — or  you  would  not  have  hesitated  so  long,  for — 
I  think — yes — I  am  sure  you — love  me." 

Hamilton  stopped  opposite  to  her,  and  exclaimed,  "  Oh, 
Hildegarde,  how  can  you  torture  me  in  this  manner  !" 

"  I  would  rather  torture  myself,"  she  said,  "  but,"  and  she 
looked  at  him  steadily,  "  but  I  must  nevertheless  tell  you 
that  I  cannot,  will  not,  accept  your  sacrifice  !" 

"  Then,  Hildegarde,  you  do  not  love  me,"  he  cried  im- 
petuously. 

"  Do  I  not  ?  Can  you  not  see  that  I  am  giving  the  great- 
est proof  of  it  of  which  I  am  capable  ?  Can  you  not  believe 
that  I,  too,  can  make  a  sacrifice  ?" 

"  I  understand  and  appreciate  your  motives  better  than 
you  have  done  mine,"  he  answered.  "  Wounded  pride  is 
assisting  your  magnanimity.  You  are  mortified  at  my 
having  hesitated — deliberated — it  was  prudent,  perhaps, 
but  I  am  heartily  sorry  for  it  now.  I  see  it  has  made 
you  so  control  your  thoughts  and  inclinations  that  friend- 
ship, and  not  love,  is  all  I  have  obtained  for  an  affection 

deserving  something  more — if  you  knew  but   all "  he 

paused  ;  but  as  Hildegarde  made  no  attempt  to  speak,  he 


HALT!  491 

continued,  "  I  thought,  when  we  met  at  Aschaffenburg,  I 
hoped,  from  what  you  said  just  now — that — Hildegarde  !" 
he  cried  vehemently,  "  you  require  too  much  from  me ; 
spoiled  by  adulation,  you  expect  me,  without  a  struggle, 
to  change  my  nature,  my  habits,  and  my  manners  !  I 
cannot  rave  like  your  cousin " 

Hildegarde  became  deadly  pale,  she  tried  to  speak,  and 
moved  her  lips,  but  no  sound  issued  from  them. 

"  Nor,"  he  continued,  still  more  vehemently ;  "  nor  can  I 
bear  repulses,  like  Zedwitz  !" 

Hamilton  heard  her  murmur  the  words  "  ungenerous — 
unjust." 

"  Forgive  me,  Hildegarde ;  I  spoke  in  anger,  and  am  sorry 
for  it — I  ought  not  to  have  named  your  cousin — can  you 
forgive  me?" 

She  held  out  her  hand  in  silence. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  seating  himself  beside  her,  "  don't  let  us 
ask  each  other  any  more  questions,  or  talk  any  more  of 
sacrifices  ;  but,  like  a  dear  love,  you  will  promise  to  go  to 
England  with  me  to-morrow  !  won't  you  ?" 

She  remained  silent,  her  eyes  cast  down,  while  she  slowly 
shook  her  head. 

"You  will  not?" 

"  I  dare  not,"  she  answered,  gently ;  but  observing  him 
again  about  to  start  up,  she  laid  her  hand  on  his  arm,  and 
continued,  "  Do  not  ask  me  to  do  what  may  cause  us  both 
unhappiness  hereafter.  I  will  enter  into  an  engagement 
with  you  on  reasonable  terms." 

"  Oh — on  reasonable  terms  !"  he  repeated  ironically. 

"I  cannot  go  on — you  are  too  unkind,"  she  said,  while 
the  tears  started  to  her  eyes. 

A  long  and  painful  pause  ensued.  Hamilton  broke  it  by 
saying,  "  Well,  what  are  your  terms — anything  is  better  than 
nothing — name  them — I  agree  to  everything  provided  I  may 
claim  you  in  two  years." 

"  Even  if  you  do  not,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  I  promise  to 
forgive  you." 

"  And  forget  me  too,  perhaps,"  said  Hamilton,  with  % 
forced  smile. 

"  That  I — cannot  promise  ;  but  it  is  of  little  consequence 
what  concerns  me.  You  must  return  home  for  these  two 
years,  weigh  well  this  sacrifice  which  you  must  make  ;   it 


492  THE  INITIALS. 

will  not  be  altogether  a  pecuniary  one,  for  I  suppose  there 
is  not  the  slightest  chance  of  obtaining  the  consent  of  your 
family  to  our  marriage ;  and  as  you  spoke  of  residing  in 
Germany,  I  conclude  you  must  give  up  all  your  relations 
and  your  country  too  ?" 

"  Go  on,"  said  Hamilton,  without  moving,  or  looking  at 
her. 

"  I  shall  consider  myself  bound  by  a  promise,  which  I 
now  freely  make,  to  await  your  decision — you  are  free." 

"  Go  on,"  he  again  repeated,  as  he  had  done  before. 

"  What  can  you  desire  more  ?" 

"  Why,  nothing,  though  I  almost  expected  you  to  propose 
committing  to  paper,  in  due  form,  this  most  rational  '  en- 
gagement on  reasonable  terms,'  "  and  he  drew  some  paper 
towards  him  as  he  spoke,  and  took  up  a  pen  ;  directly, 
however,  throwing  it  down,  he  exclaimed  passionately,  "  Oh, 
Hildegarde,  this  will  never  do !  Much  as  I  admire  your 
decision  of  character,  and  freedom  from  the  usual  weak- 
nesses of  your  sex,  I — I  did  hope — I  do  wish  that  for  once 
you  would  be  like  a  girl  of  your  age !  I  am  ready,  without 
regret,  to  leave  all  my  relations  and  friends,  give  up  all  my 
hopes  of  fame  or  success  in  life — expatriate  myself  for- 
ever  " 

"  I  see,  I  understand  now,"  cried  Hildegarde,  interrupting 
him.  "  A  man  has  hopes  of  fame,  expectations  of  success 
in  life.  We  have  nothing  of  that  kind,  and,  therefore,  our 
love  is  perfectly  exclusive,  all-absorbing." 

"  Not  yours,"  said  Hamilton, "  though  I  confess  I  expected 
something  of  the  kind  from  you,  some  little  enthusiasm  at 
least ;  however,  our  contract  is  made,  irrevocably — even 
though  I  see  and  feel  that  your  love  is  of  the  very  coldest 
description,  in  fact,  scarcely  deserving  the  name." 

"  Oh,  why,"  cried  Hildegarde,  with  all  her  natural  vehe- 
mence of  manner,  "  why  is  there  no  sacrifice  that  I  can 
make  to  convince  you  that  you  are  mistaken  !  There  is 
none  I  would  not  make,  provided  it  were  not  injurious  to 
you." 

Hamilton  shook  his  head  and  turned  away. 

"  You  do  not  believe  me  ?  Try  me — ask  any  proof — any- 
thing." 

He  started  from  his  seat,  walked  to  the  window,  threw  it 
wide  open,  and  leaned  as  far  out  as  he  could  in  the  night  air. 


HALT!  493 

All  this  was  too  much  for  Hildegarde,  her  efforts  had 
been  great  to  conceal  her  feelings,  and  she  perceived  she 
had  been  misunderstood  ;  her  sincere  desire  to  act  magnani- 
mously had  been  treated  with  contempt ;  Hamilton,  whom 
she  had  learned  to  trust  without  reserve  or  examination, 
was  displeased,  angry  with  her,  perhaps.  Perplexed,  wor- 
ried, and  wearied,  she  did  at  length,  what  it  would  have 
been  better  had  she  done  half  an  hour  before :  she  covered 
her  face  with  her  handkerchief,  and  burst  into  tears. 

The  moment  Hamilton  turned  round  and  perceived  that 
she  was  crying  as  heartily  as  could  be  desired  of  any  girl 
of  her  age,  he  forgot  his  anger  at  her  unexpected  opposition 
to  his  wishes,  and  rushing  towards  her,  commenced  an  inco- 
herent succession  of  excuses,  entreaties,  and  explanations. 
It  would  have  been  difficult  for  a  third  person  to  have 
known  what  he  meant ;  Hildegarde,  however,  seemed  to 
understand  him  perfectly.  In  a  short  time  she  began  to 
look  up,  and  smile  again,  and  in  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
they  were  discussing  their  future  plans  in  the  most  amicable 
manner  imaginable.  Once  more  Hamilton  had  recourse  to 
the  pen  and  paper,  but  this  time  it  was  to  make  a  sketch  of 
the  peasant's  house  near  Hohenfels,  which  was  to  be  their 

home  two  years  hence.     He  would  write  to   the   Z s' 

about  it  directly,  or  go  to  them  ;  that  would  be  better  still ! 

No ;  Hildegarde  thought  it  would  be  wiser  to  wait  until 
he  could  purchase. 

"  We  shall  have  cows,  and  calves,  and  all  those  sort  of 
things,  I  suppose  ?"  said  Hamilton. 

"  I  should  think  so,"  replied  Hildegarde,  very  gravely. 

"I  wonder  shall  we  be  able  to  keep  a  pair  of  horses?" 
said  Hamilton. 

"  Cart-horses  ?  Perhaps  we  may,"  answered  Hildegarde, 
merrily. 

"  No ;  but  seriously,  Hildegarde,  I  should  like  to  know 
how  many  servants  we  shall  have !" 

"  Very  few,  I  suspect,"  said  Hildegarde,  "  and  therefore, 
directly  I  return  to  my  mother,  I  shall  endeavour  to  learn  to 
be  really  useful." 

"  But,"  said  Hamilton,  "  but  these  domestic  details,  which 
were  so  disgusting  to  you — these  vulgar  cares " 

"  All,  all  will  now  be  full  of  interest,"  said  Hildegarde, 
laughing ;  "  I  really  feel  as  if  I  could  even  learn  to  cook  1" 

42 


494  THE  INITIALS. 

"  No,  no ;  I  do  not  wish  that,  we  shall  certainly  have  a 
cook !  A.  Z.  seemed  to  think  we  could  get  on  quite  com- 
fortably if  we  lived  in  the  country !  I  shall  not  at  all  mind 
going  out  with  the  plough  if  it  be  necessary,  and  you — you 
can  spin,  you  know  ;  nothing  I  admire  so  much  as  a  graceful 
figure  at  a  spinning-wheel ;  you  shall  have  one  made  of 
ebony,  and — but  can  you  spin  ?" 

"  Not  yet,  but  I  can  easily  learn,  and  in  time,  I  dare  say, 
we  shall  have  a  whole  press  full  of  linen." 

"  Oh,  I  am  sure  we  shall  get  on  famously ;  the  Z s  are 

not  at  all  rich — rather  poor,  I  believe,  and  they  are  so  happy, 
and  really  live  so  respectably — they  will  be  our  neighbours, 
and  I  am  sure  you  will  like  them." 

"  I  remember,  I  rather  liked  her  at  Seon,  because  she  lent 
me  books,"  observed  Hildegarde. 

"  They  will  be  society  for  us — that  is,  if  we  ever  want  any. 

Baron  Z is  very  cheerful,  and  his  wife  is  really  a  very 

sensible  woman.  She  understands  housekeeping,  and  soap- 
making,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  and  will  be  of  great  use 
to  you,  I  am  sure.  Then  I  shall  rent  half  their  alp,  and 
send  up  our  cows  there  in  summer,  and  then  we  shall  go  to 

look  after  them,  and  make  little  parties  with  the  Z s.     I 

must  tell  you  all  about  that." 

And  he  did  tell  her  all  about  that,  and  so  many  other 
things  too,  that  the  night  wore  away — the  candles  burnt 
down,  and  as  at  length  the  flame  extinguished  itself  in  the 
melted  wax,  they  looked  at  each  other  in  the  grey,  cold  light 
of  breaking  day  ! 

The  two  days  which  Hamilton  and  Hildegarde  passed  in 
the  Rhine  steamboat,  on  their  return  to  Mayence,  were  the 
happiest  of  their  still  so  youthful  lives.  As  they  sat  together, 
watching  the  beautiful  windings  of  the  river,  or  glancing  up 
the  sides  of  the  wooded  mountains,  the  most  perfect  confi- 
dence was  established  between  them.  The  events  of  the  last 
year  were  discussed  with  a  minuteness  which  proved  either 
that  their  memories  were  exceedingly  retentive,  or  that  the 
most  trifling  circumstances  of  that  period  had  been  full  of 
unusual  interest  to  both.  Their  confessions  and  explanations 
were  not  ended  even  when  they  reached  Mayence,  where 
Hildegarde  found  a  letter  from  the  Baroness  Waldorf.  As 
she  gave  it  to  Hamilton,  she  observed :  "  After  what  you 
told  me  this  morning,  I  can  pardon,  though  I  cannot  approve 


CONCLUSION.  495 

of  her  conduct — she  says,  however,  that  she  wrote  to  Hor- 
tense  to  prevent  my  leaving  Munich,  and  I  am  glad  of  it,  as 
it  will  save  me  from  all  explanations,  and  I  can  show  both 
my  mother  and  Hortense  this  letter  too ;  so  everything  has 
ended  just  as  we  could  have  wished." 

"  Yes,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and  we  will  endeavour  to  believe 
all  the  Baroness's  excuses — I  dare  say  she  has  changed  all 
her  plans — and  perhaps,  she  may  not  engage  a  governess  for 
her  daughter  for  a  year  or  two  ;  we  will  also  consent  to  her 
marriage  with  Zedwitz — to  whom  she  is  as  attached  as  such 
a  person  can  be — though  she  is  not  likely  to  rise  in  his  esti- 
mation by  the  proof  which  she  has  given  of  her  jealousy — 
but  what  do  you  mean  to  do  with  this  order  on  her  banker 
at  Frankfort — this  peace-offering  which  she  so  diffidently 
calls  her  debt?" 

"  I — should  like  very  much — to  return  it,"  said  Hilde- 
garde,  hesitatingly. 

"  I  thought  so,"  said  Hamilton,  "  and  in  the  meanwhile  I 
can  write  to  A.  Z.,  to  let  her  know  that  if  we  are  all  alive  in 

two  years  we  shall  be  together,  and  to  request  Baron  Z ■ 

to  enter  into  negotiations  with  that  Felsenbauer,  the  peasant 
on  the  rocks,  as  he  is  called.  I  shall  tell  A.  Z.  to  send  you 
my  journal :  it  may  amuse  you  to  read  it,  and  in  the  margin 
you  must  write  whatever  is  necessary  in*  explanation,  or,  in 
short,  whatever  you  think  likely  to  interest  us  when  we  look 
it  over  at  the  end  of  ten  or  twelve  years.  A  journal,  you 
know,  like  mine,  is  marvellously  improved  by  age !" 

Hamilton  accompanied  Hildegarde  on  her  way  home  as 
far  as  she  would  allow  him — the  last  day's  journey  she  choose 
to  be  alone,  and  at  Ingolstadt  they  parted.  For  two  years  ? 
Or  for  ever  ? 


CHAPTER  XL VII. 

CONCLUSION. 


There  may  be  some,  there  may  be  many  of  my  readers 
who  would  think  that  Hamilton  had  been  a  "  confounded 
fool,"  were  they  to  hear  that,  at  the  appointed  time,  he 
braved  the  threats,  resisted  all  the  bribes  of  his  uncle,  re- 


496  THE  INITIALS. 

mitted  his  five  thousand  pounds  to  Munich,  and  returned  to 
Bavaria,  with  the  intention  there  to  live  and  die,  "  the  world 
(viz.,  London)  forgetting,  by  the  world  forgot."  We  do  not 
wish  him  to  fall  in  the  opinion  of  anyone,  and  therefore 
request  all  persons  disposed  to  entertain  such  an  opinion 
of  him,  under  such  circumstances,  to  close  this  book,  and 
imagine  he  acted  as  they  would  have  done  in  his  place. 
Often  have  vows  as  solemn  as  his  been  broken,  and  for  the 
same  mercenary  motives  which  might  have  tempted  him  ; 
and  if  the  world  have  not  applauded,  it  has  at  least  not 
censured  such  derelictions  in  a  manner  to  deter  others  from 
practising  them. 

Suppose  him,  then,  reader,  (not  gentle  reader,  for  such 
would  never  consent  to  the  supposition,)  suppose  him  at  the 
end  of  two  years,  a  man  of  the  world,  or  a  worldly  man, 
whichever  you  please,  Hildegarde  not  exactly  forgotten,  but 
remembered  only  as  a  "  beautiful  girl  with  whom  he  had 
been  at  one  time  so  much  in  love  as  to  have  entertained  the 
absurd  idea  of  rusticating  with  her  on  a  couple  of  hundred 
pounds  per  annum  in  the  Bavarian  Highlands !"  Suppose 
him  attached  to  some  embassy,  young,  handsome,  and  rich, 
the  chosen  partner  of  all  still  dancing  princesses  !  Or  sup- 
pose we  put  an  end  to  Uncle  Jack  at  once,  and  allow  Ham- 
ilton, without  further  delay,  to  inherit  a  fortune  which  would 
give  him  a  position  in  the  London  and  Yorkshire  world ;  if 
you  wish  it,  we  can  double  his  income  too — in  books,  fifty  or 
sixty  thousand  a  year  is  quite  a  common  thing,  and  as  to 
old  uncles,  they  are  only  mentioned  in  order  that  they  may 
die,  just  when  their  fortune  is  necessary  to  the  happiness  or 
comfort  of  younger  or  more  interesting  persons.  Suppose 
Suppose Suppose  you  close  the  book,  as  before  rec- 
ommended, for  nothing  of  this  kind  occurred.  Uncle  Jack 
(who  in  his  youth  had  taken  a  trip  to  Gretna  Green)  might 
have  pardoned  his  nephew's  "loving  not  wisely,  but  too  well;" 
but  he  neither  would  do  so,  nor  would  he  die,  and  so  Ham- 
ilton, after  having  listened  to  his  father's  reproaches  and 
expostulations,  endured  his  brother's  sneers,  and  steadily  set 
at  defiance  his  uncle's  anger,  returned  to  Munich  and  claimed 
his  bride,  of  whose  coldness  or  want  of  enthusiasm  he  was 
never  afterward  heard  to  complain. 

Felsenbauer's  little  property  was  purchased,  and  Hans, 
after  having  officiated  as  Hamilton's  "  gentleman"  for  two 


CONCLUSION.  497 

years  .in  England  returned £  *J^£3ft£ 
ofTS itatl^fted trforThe  ceased  to  regret 
&ST?Sf « to  expaLte  to  his  fewignorant  fellow- 
servants  oS  the  splendors  of  his  master  shorn  . 

Hamilton  resigned  himself  more  cheerfully  than  his  SOT 
vant to  to cS  of  fortune ;  he  never  spoke  of  home,  with 
Xich  his  communication  became  very  indirect  and  uncerta  n 
from  the  time  his  sister  had  married  and  gone  to  reside  in 
Ae  north  of  Scotland.  His  brother  John  seldom  wrote,  his 
AwL  ancle  never:  he  made  no  effort  to  conciliate  the 
fatter  not  even  takbg  advantage  of  the  occasions,  which 
pCnteTthemselves  at  a  later  period,  of  req^ng .ton to 

as  a  rifle  shot,  that  he  was  feared  as  a  competitor  at  all  the 
ScUben-Schdssen  in  the  neighbourhood.  He  generally  wore 
a  mountaineers  dress-perhaps  because  it  was ;  comfortable 

perhaps,  ^^^l^Z!^tZ  rt  S 

L%nThey:t  Louiarnt  man,  *-W*-»£S 
ehanged  in  expression  by  his  altered  mode  ot  lite— energy 
°atd  Strength  l!ad  taken  L  place  of  ease  and  gracefulne^ 

m°ountein  borne,  his  lucSed  hat  shading  the  upper,  as  much 
as  his  lone  moustache  the  lower  part  of  his  tace. 

As  o  Hildegarde,  the  calm,  contented  tenor  of  her  lrfe 
preserved  her  beauty  in  so  remarkable  a  manner,  that  Ham- 
flton  seriously  believed  she  grew  handsomer  every  year ;  they 

and  the  Z— ^  almost  lived  t0SethCT.'  D°,  ™mm"  J16'*0? 
w"nter  storm  kept  them  asunder;  their  alpine  parties  and 
ded  "ng  expeditmns  to  the  neighbouring  balls  were  made 
together  and  many  a  little  adventure  is  still  remembered  by 
£&  witn  a  mixture  of  amusement and  regret- 
regret  that  those   times   are   past-gone-never  to  return 

agAt  the  end  of  eight  years  Uncle  Jack,  unsolicited  relented 

and  HamUton  was  Jailed.      Can  it  be  believed    hat  for 

some  days  he  hesitated  to  obey  the  mandate?  that  HUue- 

42* 
99 


498  THE  INITIALS. 

garde  wept  bitterly  for  the  first  time  since  her  marriage? 
But  so  it  was.  The  offers  which,  ten  years  before,  would 
have  filled  their  hearts  with  gratitude  and  joy,  were  now 
accepted  as  a  sacrifice  made  to  the  future  prospects  of  their 
children.  A.  Z.  to  the  last  insisted  that  she  would  be  the 
greatest  sufferer  of  all.  "  In  you,"  she  said,  turning  to  Hil- 
degarde, "  I  lose  the  most  patient  and  intelligent  of  listeners  ; 
in  your  husband,  the  most  attentive  of  friends ;  eight  years' 
intimate  intercourse,  such  as  ours  has  been,  has  made  you 
both  so  completely  a  part  of  our  family,  that,  knowing  how 
much  we  shall  miss  you,  Herrmann  and  I  have  at  length 
come  to  the  long  protracted,  desperate  resolution  of  leaving 
Hohenfels ;  we  ought  to  have  done  so  long  ago,  on  account 
of  the  education  of  our  children." 

"  Oh,  no,  don't  leave  Hohenfels  ;  we  shall  be  sure  to  return 
here  next  year — every  summer !"  cried  Hamilton  and  Hilde- 
garde,  almost  together. 

But  they  have  not  returned,  nor  are  they  likely  to  do  so. 
The  revolution  which  commenced  in  Germany,  in  the  year 
1848,  is  still  in  progress ;  to  foretell  how,  or  when  it  will  end, 
would  be  difficult ;  this  much  is,  however,  certain,  that 
Bavaria  is  not  likely  to  be  soon  again  (if  ever)  as  tranquil 
and  happy  as  when  these  pages  were  first  written ;  then  the 
most  intelligent  peasant  would  have  refused  to  leave  his 
waltz,  his  pot  of  beer,  or  his  joyous  jodel,  for  the  sake  of 
any  newspaper  that  ever  was  printed,  or  even  to  hear  a 
political  discussion  between  the  schoolmaster  and  the  parish 
priest !  Great  is  the  change  which  has  taken  place  in  this 
respect ;  without  any  law  to  control  the  liberty  of  the  press, 
newspapers  of  the  worst  tendency  now  circulate  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  the  peasant  reads,  thinks,  and  talks  more  of  poli- 
tics than  of  his  crops,  and  naturally  feels  inclined  to  adopt 
opinions  calculated  to  elevate  him  in  his  own  estimation,  and 
draw  those  down  to  his  level  whom  he  had  formerly  con- 
sidered far  above  him.  In  order  to  appreciate  the  impor- 
tance of  this  change,  my  countrymen  must  remember  that  in 
Germany  the  peasantry  is  the  army. 

Hohenfels  is  sold.     Baron  Z found  the  brewery  more 

expensive  than  profitable,  when  his  visits  of  inspection  were 
limited  to  an  occasional  week  or  ten  days.  He  is  half  in- 
clined to  purchase  Hamilton's  house,  which  still  remains, 
shut  up  and  uninhabited ;  presenting,  as  A.  Z.  observed  in 


CONCLUSION.  499 

her  last  letter,  the  perfect  picture  of  a  deserted  house,  with 
all  its  "  garden  flowers  growing  wild." 

"  After  all,  Hildegarde,"  said  Hamilton,  one  morning,  as 
they  looked  out  of  the  breakfast-room  window  into  his  uncle's 
handsome  domain,  "  after  all,  if  we  could  conjure  a  few  of 
your  mountains,  with  some  chamois  upon  them,  here,  I  be- 
lieve I  could  again  prefer  England  to  Germany — that  is,  in 
my  present  position — a  poor  man  really  can  enjoy  life  in 
Germany — it  is  only  a  rich  one  who  could  do  so  in  England  !" 


THE   END. 


BEEKELEY 


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IOAN  DEPT. 


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.  General  Library 

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